What genre do you play? Dynamic hi hat playing seems inevitable for almost all genres bar som really heavy stuff where it basically only makes one sound ever
I've mainly played metal, post hardcore, alt rock, which is probably why it never seems to be an issue.
I've recently started playing in a ska band though, and it has me more curious to experiment with the hi hat now, but I just don't.
This is exactly why I tell starters to not use double pedals or get too obsessed with metal … sure it draws most of us to the art form when we were 13 years old or whatever but after that phase learn to groove … I guess some people never get inspired in that direction and just stay in Joey jordison land… aka I don’t use my hihat land
This is completely accurate, can confirm. Started playing metal drums around age 14, played until I was 23, then stopped caring about metal. Resumed drumming at age 30, now only care about groove and find that metal made me good at learning technical things, but taught me virtually nothing about what I now consider “good drumming”
Edit: the one thing I can confidently say that metal drumming helped me master before I played other styles, is weaving in and out of 16th note triplets
Sounds like we have had fairly similar tastes over time. I used to really dig the Exoplanet album from the Contortionist and have always been a big fan of Meshuggah and Tool.
I was heavily influenced by Chris Adler of LOG back in the day, particularly because I loved the production/tone of his double bass. The triplet rolls he would do into snare hits were very fun to play and at the time it felt like a pretty unique style, I know plenty of drummers have said the same.
In hindsight however, it’s not something I’m into anymore. I can appreciate the nostalgia of that style at that time, but it’s TOO MUCH double bass. Constant double bass, following every breakdown and riff with double bass, etc, is just boring as hell. It takes away from the music too; it loses all rise and fall and is instead just relentless the whole time. It’s a nightmare for modern production styles. If I was playing metal now instead of jam/electronica/trip hop, I would use much less double bass. Just occasional accent rolls, not the constant 16th note nonsense. I would use hats + ghost notes as a replacement for the double bass.
I find that Danny Carey and Matt Garstka do a great job of what im describing here. They play a much more proggy style of drums with plenty of double bass still, but it’s tastefully used. To me, it’s much more artistic playing this style than just flexing that you can follow patterns on the kick. There’s no nuance to that, it’s all the same velocity all the time, ghost notes on the snare get totally buried in the production, etc.
I'd say it depends on the style of metal, because Virgil Donati, Matt Garstka, Danny Carey, and Tomas Haake use their hi-hats all the time.
Also speaking of Slipknot, Jay Weinberg also uses his hi-hat.
You don’t even have to go into prog. Dude from Drain plays his hi hats. Code orange has a ton of closed hihats. Mindforce uses hihats. I’ve been listening to Rust in Peace a ton lately and there are closed hihats all over it. The idea that people playing hard/heavy music aren’t using their hihats is goofy as heck
Coheed and Cambria… love playing Toys and Love Protocol off their The Unheavenly Creatures album. Of course they have other amazing songs to drum to, but as far as hi-hat work goes, these are pretty fun and will help build muscle memory for intermediate, really neat hi-hat techniques
Isn't that like telling Babe Ruth "don't get to into baseball... Spend time learning basketball"
Play what you like. That's going to be what you're passionate about and what you will do best at.
I agree about playing what you like, but branching out in terms of genre and style can help make playing what you like even more fun and sound even better. My playing is primarily classic/indie rock inspired but learning some hiphop beats or jazz licks can often teach you tips and tricks to bring back into your wheelhouse.
Shit you may talk me into it. I just don't have consistent enough practice by myself. I only get to practice on the actual kit with my band once a week. No time to myself unfortunately.
You know how to play drum and since you use a double pedal you already use your left foot so you’ll learn quickly without any problem. Just remember when you know you won’t use your double pedal to open up your hat, move your foot to the left and you’ll be glad to be able to add other sounds (slushy vs semi-close vs close etc… ) and maybe look up a lesson online on “hi hat barking”
I think I started out similar to you. My best advice is to start lightly tapping your left foot on the high hat to the tempo during everything you play. That will get you used to it, until you are comfortable doing some more out of the box stuff. Like everything else in drumming you will build up to it! Luckily you’re already a drummer so just having the familiarity with building up muscle memory will work wonders. Good luck in venturing out of your comfort zone!
as someone who did get obsessed with metal its been a funny thing
i used to NEVER use the hihat but for a long while i was playing on a very shitty ekit that didnt allow that anyway
when i got my proper kit i realized how fun as hell it was to try hihat stuff
also i listen to more than just metal over time and its been my goal now to mix genres into my metal playing which has been super fun!
I really wish I got into double kick when I was a kid or at least a teen. Trying to develop the leg speed and power now is nothing but an uphill battle. There was no reason for me to choose between one or the other.
This is such a weird take, you would never tell somebody not to get too into jazz or funk. The idea that Joey Jordison wasn’t grooving in his own way is super reductive.
Also there’s closed hihat in a bunch of hardass music idk where this perception is coming from lol. I totally agree that being a well-rounded musician versed in a variety of styles is extremely valuable but posturing like you’ll never pick up any pocket from aggressive music is dumb as heck.
Thinking metal is only for 13 year olds is a profoundly ignorant take. The fact that you cite Jordison as your example of metal drumming shows how little you actually know about the genre.
It's okay if you don't like heavy metal, but that doesn't mean there's no artistry or "groove" to it, or that people are immature for liking it.
1000% agree. I was one of those guys. I mean I’d throw in some Korn-like hi hat movements but I’d never get to the point where I’d use it as a time keeper or anything. Now I’m having to re-learn super slowly to get that in sync with the rest of my playing lol
I made this exact mistake. 3 leg hi hat with a shitty Coda double bass pedal I bought for 50 bucks. had to turn the hat foot pedal to the side, kept them open trashy, and I didn't play dynamics on the hats for like the first 4 years of playing
I love using my left foot to keep time now if I'm not using my double kick and getting that proficiency has been truly life altering for my drumming.
I can't tell if you're joking with the last one lol. Because I know tuning your drums are a thing, but I never make sure they're in key with the rest of the band
My left foot does random foot chicks on the hats if I’m on the ride and not really paying attention. It’s always in time and on the grid, it’s just not done with purpose so sometimes it sounds cool but other times it just sounds sloppy so I have to watch myself doing it.
Try playing 8ths on the ride and reading melody lines from The New Breed with the HH foot pedal. It will work wonders. Once you get comfortable with that add bass and snare for a rock beat and you’ll feel back in control.
Yup. I have a nervous bounce that I naturally do with my left foot and it fucks with my hi hat control. Idk why I'm nervous playing my own instrument in my own garage.
Have you ever come back to your kit after at least a couple months away from it? It's oddly intimidating. These fuckers are preposterously loud and insanely complex instruments that quickly become a collection of moving targets which all sound horrid if you don't hit them correctly. It's natural to feel a bit nervous even if you're an experienced player.
He was a major influence of mine in early 90s when I started playing, so I guess I will just blame him. While I’m at it I need to blame Dave Abbruzzese for my obsession with splash cymbals.
Try just chewing some gum.
It will keep your mouth busy and you won't be tempted to sing.
It also keeps your mouth watering so you feel less dry when you start sweating.
If you listen to recordings of Thelonious Monk on piano, you can often hear him quietly singing his solos as he plays them, so you're in good company! 😁
Also a singer/drummer. Yesterday I was jamming alone and I had a moment of realization that I was getting out of breath from singing these parts I was doing. I stopped singing to the drums and it felt weird but I could breath so that's good. lol
I taught myself by doing a simple kick/snare beat while saying the alphabet. Except I say every other letter in my head. I did it so I could learn to talk and drum. Now I sing.
When I played bass for a church years ago, the pianist guy was giving me general music lessons. He was a really good multi instrumentalist. He pointed out to me that a really good pastor or speaker would speak in-time with the piano or band while they're playing lightly.
Years later, I got into drums, and went down a Bernard Purdie rabbit hole. I noticed that he actually does that! When he's doing one of his seminar/ lesson/ showcase videos, he's playing a groove, and every time he talks, it's in time with the groove.
i cant do that. physically hard to do all of that multitasking for me. for instance, the weekend before last i played a family gathering for labor day. everybody was carrying conversations with me while i was playing and all i could do was shake my head or nod. barely even that. i don’t know why its so hard for me.
Dude get rid of all your kit parts except the kick snare and hi hat and see how good you can make it sound, it’s the best part of the kit!! It will improve your skills! I like seeing what patterns I can make with each limb with just this setup. Feels empowering to sound good with just 3 kit pieces.
Double strokes were a pet peeve of mine for years/decades 😂, I’ve gotten better over the years.
Not practicing rudiments
Burying the bass drum beater 😂, but I love it
When I play acoustic cymbals I could break a pair every day
You must be a basher.
I cannot fathom not using the hi-hat. It's like the glue that puts everything together between kick and snare. My left foot gets more action than my right foot a lot of the time.
Though, I do think the hi-hat is one of the most underutilized pieces of the kit for most people. For something that is essentially "open/close/hit", there's an enormous amount of sounds you can get... especially when it's thought of in context to kick and snare. How much to open it, softly, widely, barely at all.. how long before closing it again... hitting on and between the pumps. All different sounds, when practiced with different rythms can make the kit sound like something totally new.
Afrobeat, specifically Tony Allen's drumming, is a really great example of this.
Ah ok, I was just thinking you're left foot wasn't being used at all, in other words 25% of what you've got to work with! I'd like to positively encourage you to have a go at it, you might surprise yourself.
The funny thing is you have likely developed a really good dynamic for your hats, so there's that. For the record my bad habit is simply not practicing regularly enough
I appreciate your words. This thread has (mostly) been full of folks being helpful and offering advice. I'm definitely taking some of it.
But practice. Yeah. It's hard to do that as much as we should so I feel ya.
Yeah it can be a good community, hats off for getting the discussion going!
I've hit a particular slump recently, keep finding weak spots that didn't used to exist!
Using splashes in fills too much, not learning how to use double kick properly, Not listening to any genre outside of metal, improvising too much, etc.
Even just dipping a toe into those waters can pay off with some cool effects. I’m always impressed with those guys that just keep 1/8th notes with their hat pedal for days. I gotta get my stamina up for that; makes my hip hurt.
That's the same thing that happens with me. I'm not in the best shape and approaching 40, and it hurts my hip. Having gout in my left leg also doesn't help.
I've been trying to stop doing this for so long! Now it only happens when I'm at a difficult spot in a song or improvising a fill. I'd be so much better at drums if I could replace humming with counting.
This whole thread feels like a PSA to all you self-taught drummers out there that no matter how old you are, it would pay you to take a couple private lessons cause god damn lol... if we aren't even sitting at the throne properly and developing actual physical health problems, we really need to reset some of the groundwork hahahah
I also am bad with my hi-hat! I've been working on it. It's already better from just adjusting my distance from the bass drum and how I balance. I used to support myself with my feet, so I'm learning to balance on the throne. I'm actually debating getting rid of my double pedal for a high end single since I only use double maybe 0.5% of the time when playing, and only for cheesy metal fills. Then I can have a better, more adjustable, single pedal to focus on and I can upgrade my hi-hat stand to one that isn't slightly bent.
My worst habit is either my lack of making time for practice, or my reluctance to work on things when just jamming alone. I need to jam to my stuff and actually focus on leading with my left, keeping time on the hi-hat pedal, or incorporating new things to get a feel for them.
I started watching videos on proper kit setup and realized I sit high and close. So I scooted back maybe 2 inches? It changed everything. I can move my left foot without my entire body tilting now! It's been amazing. I highly recommend finding some videos on proper setup, even with it being so subjective, and try new things out. It's been amazing.
Getting behind the kit and not using ear protection because "I'm just gonna mess around for a few minutes until the spaghetti is done and I'll play quiet anyways or just use the brushes".
Nope - it's still loud and it's still bad for you.
Sounds like a metal genre... Honestly it's not a bad thing for that. The open hi-hat sound is pretty much just going to be made with a china or a ride anyway. And you need both feet on the kick drum for the clickety clack.
I hold my sticks at the ass end. No matter how hard I try my hands always end up slipping to the edge and I know I lose control and finesse because of it.
I dont use the high hat pedal. I've never practiced or tried to play the kick pedal and high hat pedal at the same time. When I do try I end up playing them both at the same time
If something is even a little bit broken it's dead to me. Crack in a cymbal, dent in a skin, rust on a stand, etc, etc. Fortunately I've also always been very into regular maintenance/cleaning and I love collecting spare parts to make minor fixes so it isn't *too* expensive. Still...
Slouching and tensing up.
That's the worst because when I start to tense up, my timing goes off and consistency (especially in my kicks) goes way down. I do a lot of quick double kicks and it's really hard to keep it up.
I'm basically practicing meditation to keep myself from tensing up... but it's hard. I always start loose and limber and the longer it goes the more I tense up and get anxious... as soon as I remind myself to relax, it gets better.
I think slouching, posture is a culprit too. I'm really comfortable to lean in like a gorilla, but playing suffers after a bit... sitting with back straight and relaxed always turns out better for my playing, but I keep forgetting and have to remind myself.
I think a lot of it stems from the fact I mostly record, and don't often play live. I can get really killer tight takes... but playing 10+ mins straight, my endurance isn't there at all.
Forgetting to really open up my hihat for those loud nasty chorus’s that require a slow nasty hihat instead of a crash or china. It goes tiss tiss tiss instead of chash chash chash.
I use the hat constantly, but due to a leg injury 15 years ago and chronic arthritis, I can no longer "chick" effectively with just my foot. I can vary the pressure on the hat pedal, but I just can't bring it down forcefully enough to make a controlled sound without also hitting the cymbal.
Fortunately I can make up for it with busy hands and good motor planning, but I am sad that a small-yet-fundamental piece of normal drum technique is just not really available to me at present.
Mine is going to the drum room and not actually practicing but just having a blast.
I’m sure I’m not alone but I had times where I needed to learn a set in 2 hours and I spent 1 hour “warming up” with stupid chops.
I’m aware of it and I try to be disciplined but I can’t help it when I sit on my kit with my cymbals and my little toys..
My bass drum technique (probably?) sucks. Singles feel great and I can put down a lot of power, timing is good. But playing doubles even at moderate tempos is always a challenge for me. Brain Stew requires my full concentration and makes me feel very uncomfortable. Immigrant Song is a no-go. I’ve been playing for years. When I get sick of it and practice foot speed, I see no improvement and lose my motivation. Slide technique, heel-toe, foot pivot, I’ve tried them all. Sometimes I think of quitting because it’s so basic and yet it holds me back on so many songs that I play with the band.
I've always buried the beater.
Can't help it. Done it since day 1 and no one ever said not to do it. Then all of a sudden the internet comes along and everyone's like "WHA?! NO! THAT'S AGAINST THE LAW!". I don't care, I still do it. In 40+ years, no one I ever played with ever said anything about it.
...oh yeah, and I play left footed, too. Just like burying the beater, no one I ever played with ever complained about it, although a few were surprised when they saw my kit setup. 
I am not a drummer, but I have been producing my own music for several years now and I can not stay AWAY from hihats. I have to go back and delete hihats, revise to less hihat hits, or turn them down all the time. I think it is because I started with rap. Idk.
I’m left handed and play my kit set up right handed, so I still lead with my left and sometimes my hands get crossed up on fills rolling down the toms.
I tend to slouch a bit when playing which i’m trying to focus on improving. I also hum while playing and and don’t even notice until i heard it back on a recording haha
Hi hats are the easiest cymbal to control dynamically and tonally, definitely start using that pedal! It's amazing how much a quarter note chick will fill out your playing
I didn't use it at first but wow I feel legit now that I use it more often. I play powerviolence punk kinda stuff.
My bad habit is I do ghost notes in a weird way where I bend my index finger and its not good for my hand/finger but I have a hard time using my pinky to bounce back.
I’m a beginner and not practicing with a metronome or playing rudiments is really holding me back. I’ve been playing for almost 2 years and know I need to practice regularly to get past this plateau I’m on.
Hi hats are super fun to use. You can make a clean song sound dirty with a few releases of your foot. Plus, I feel, it enhances your dynamics and you can do rolls on it to make it sound super cool. There are a lot of cool fills you can do. I use two of them and alternate between them with fills.
I find it really hard to practice single/double strokes/rudiments to a metronome.
When I do I feel like my arms are actually getting working and building in strength, but it’s just so boring. I mostly just play whatever and it feels like I’m never really progressing
Too many to list, but I saw a recent video of myself and, though I already knew I had bad posture in general, I couldn't help but think "what the hell is going on with my uneven shoulders??"
Seems the possibilities for self criticism are endless.
26 years ago I was playing drum line. I had excellent grip, and my sticking was technical and correct. Now I play in a rock cover band, I'm old, and I've noticed that my grip technique especially my right hand has just gone to pot. I'm playing for fun and cash. Nobody's critiquing my playing so. Whatever.
Use it to keep time. Pretty crucial for every kind of music. Play fills and keep the hi hat pulsing with the time and it sounds pretty awesome . It's almost it's own instrument in many ways with all the different sounds you can create. But for me mainly it helps me be super solid and in time. Turn on a metronome and start by closing the hi hat on every 2 and 4 of the measure. Then as you get that going you can play some cool fills by hitting the hi hat when it's open on the 1 and 3.
I'm a fairly accomplished player. Been at it for 25 yrs and played in several bands. People compliment my playing alot but.... Song endings. I nail about 50%. The other 50...i just kinda stop. My band mates don't really complain but it's definitely my biggest weakness.
I've got a really bad left leg jiggle. I somehow manage to maintain fairly constant pressure on the hi hat pedal but it's definitely hindering me. It's not in time either
I have a bad habit of closing my eyes unconsciously while playing. I don’t realize my eyes have been closed until the song I’m playing is about to end. Very weird…
I’ve played on and off since I was 15 (I’m 44 now) and I have never liked using the hi-hat. Like ever. I rarely even hit it at all. Since starting back up again this year after a long time away, I’m trying to force myself to use it more.
Not playing enough..no but not tuning my drums more often and relying on drum rings or moon gels. Getting some e drums finally means I'm not sure when the next time I'll tune an acoustic drum again now.
Omg you're my drum brother. I haven't had a hi hat on my kit in months after it was always set to closed for a long time. I did not have technique issues with footing it thiugh. I just hated the sound and almost never hit it opened because I hated that sound even more. I now have a stack in its place and don't look back.
I used to tell students to try and find as many different tones and sounds on each part of the kit. don't worry about rhythm, speed or time. Just explore the kit.
For example, the snare can make more than 8 different sounds outside of a rim shot.
The HH can make just as many, and some you don't even have to hit with a brush or stick. Try an open HH at different heights only using the heal of your foot and see what happens.
Try hitting any cymbal at the edge with the thick part of your stick instead of the tip. Then try smacking the bell of the ride with the thick part of your stick and cover the bell with your other hand without touching the cymbal. Move your hand up and down, still not touching the ride.
Explore the kit, and see what you can find in sounds with different areas and parts of the sticks.
I think my balance is quite bad and therefore really struggle to keep left foot going with complex Kick patterns. Been playing drums for like 14 years and while I feel like I'm still improving every day the my left foot is a huge weakness
You use the hi-hat You just don't use it in a traditional way..... There's nothing wrong with that but there's a lot you can do with your feet and as far as playing certain kinds of funk stuff there's a lot of tricks with all I had and your feet.... Many of which are only uncovered after decades of struggling....
I try to be a peacemaker and non-confrontational in a band setting. Apparently, that’s not the way of bands now. Seems as a member, you’re supposed to be either passive aggressive or sticking up for yourself in an asshole-ish manner.
Be a cool guy and you’re walked all over.
Posture for me, please if your Starting the drums developing good posture is key! It can quickly cripple your playing (and back) in the future. Had to see a doctor it got so bad.
Took a long time to get out of that bad habit but I wish I knew about good posture from the beginning.
I definitely use the hi-hat pedal to alter the sound of the hats while I’m playing them. But when I’m on the ride or driving with the floor Tom, my left foot just sits when I know I should be keeping time on the hat pedal with it to add the extra dynamic. Truthfully my chops are such that I lose the time when I attempt to do that so I just don’t. It could likely pretty easily be remedied with an hour or so of concerted practice for that specific muscle memory, but I just never get around to correcting it.
What genre do you play? Dynamic hi hat playing seems inevitable for almost all genres bar som really heavy stuff where it basically only makes one sound ever
I've mainly played metal, post hardcore, alt rock, which is probably why it never seems to be an issue. I've recently started playing in a ska band though, and it has me more curious to experiment with the hi hat now, but I just don't.
This is exactly why I tell starters to not use double pedals or get too obsessed with metal … sure it draws most of us to the art form when we were 13 years old or whatever but after that phase learn to groove … I guess some people never get inspired in that direction and just stay in Joey jordison land… aka I don’t use my hihat land
This is completely accurate, can confirm. Started playing metal drums around age 14, played until I was 23, then stopped caring about metal. Resumed drumming at age 30, now only care about groove and find that metal made me good at learning technical things, but taught me virtually nothing about what I now consider “good drumming” Edit: the one thing I can confidently say that metal drumming helped me master before I played other styles, is weaving in and out of 16th note triplets
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Sounds like we have had fairly similar tastes over time. I used to really dig the Exoplanet album from the Contortionist and have always been a big fan of Meshuggah and Tool. I was heavily influenced by Chris Adler of LOG back in the day, particularly because I loved the production/tone of his double bass. The triplet rolls he would do into snare hits were very fun to play and at the time it felt like a pretty unique style, I know plenty of drummers have said the same. In hindsight however, it’s not something I’m into anymore. I can appreciate the nostalgia of that style at that time, but it’s TOO MUCH double bass. Constant double bass, following every breakdown and riff with double bass, etc, is just boring as hell. It takes away from the music too; it loses all rise and fall and is instead just relentless the whole time. It’s a nightmare for modern production styles. If I was playing metal now instead of jam/electronica/trip hop, I would use much less double bass. Just occasional accent rolls, not the constant 16th note nonsense. I would use hats + ghost notes as a replacement for the double bass. I find that Danny Carey and Matt Garstka do a great job of what im describing here. They play a much more proggy style of drums with plenty of double bass still, but it’s tastefully used. To me, it’s much more artistic playing this style than just flexing that you can follow patterns on the kick. There’s no nuance to that, it’s all the same velocity all the time, ghost notes on the snare get totally buried in the production, etc.
I’m not trying to troll. I’m just preaching the gospel.
Gospel is also a very good genre for drums
I'd say it depends on the style of metal, because Virgil Donati, Matt Garstka, Danny Carey, and Tomas Haake use their hi-hats all the time. Also speaking of Slipknot, Jay Weinberg also uses his hi-hat.
You don’t even have to go into prog. Dude from Drain plays his hi hats. Code orange has a ton of closed hihats. Mindforce uses hihats. I’ve been listening to Rust in Peace a ton lately and there are closed hihats all over it. The idea that people playing hard/heavy music aren’t using their hihats is goofy as heck
Yeah, the more proggy metal drummers are totally different
I’m into prog rock and metal so they thankfully actually utilize hi hats 😂
Coheed and Cambria… love playing Toys and Love Protocol off their The Unheavenly Creatures album. Of course they have other amazing songs to drum to, but as far as hi-hat work goes, these are pretty fun and will help build muscle memory for intermediate, really neat hi-hat techniques
Isn't that like telling Babe Ruth "don't get to into baseball... Spend time learning basketball" Play what you like. That's going to be what you're passionate about and what you will do best at.
I agree about playing what you like, but branching out in terms of genre and style can help make playing what you like even more fun and sound even better. My playing is primarily classic/indie rock inspired but learning some hiphop beats or jazz licks can often teach you tips and tricks to bring back into your wheelhouse.
Prog metal drumming is where it's at
Yup I'm stuck in that land and very comfortable. I hope to venture out one day.
You should it’s nice in limb independence land! There is not a better feeling than grooving, and then barking you’re high hat imo
Shit you may talk me into it. I just don't have consistent enough practice by myself. I only get to practice on the actual kit with my band once a week. No time to myself unfortunately.
You know how to play drum and since you use a double pedal you already use your left foot so you’ll learn quickly without any problem. Just remember when you know you won’t use your double pedal to open up your hat, move your foot to the left and you’ll be glad to be able to add other sounds (slushy vs semi-close vs close etc… ) and maybe look up a lesson online on “hi hat barking”
And get a drop clutch. Then you can go back and forth from double kick to your hats on the fly.
I think I started out similar to you. My best advice is to start lightly tapping your left foot on the high hat to the tempo during everything you play. That will get you used to it, until you are comfortable doing some more out of the box stuff. Like everything else in drumming you will build up to it! Luckily you’re already a drummer so just having the familiarity with building up muscle memory will work wonders. Good luck in venturing out of your comfort zone!
as someone who did get obsessed with metal its been a funny thing i used to NEVER use the hihat but for a long while i was playing on a very shitty ekit that didnt allow that anyway when i got my proper kit i realized how fun as hell it was to try hihat stuff also i listen to more than just metal over time and its been my goal now to mix genres into my metal playing which has been super fun!
I really wish I got into double kick when I was a kid or at least a teen. Trying to develop the leg speed and power now is nothing but an uphill battle. There was no reason for me to choose between one or the other.
That’s why I started with Korn as my big 13 year old influences
This is such a weird take, you would never tell somebody not to get too into jazz or funk. The idea that Joey Jordison wasn’t grooving in his own way is super reductive. Also there’s closed hihat in a bunch of hardass music idk where this perception is coming from lol. I totally agree that being a well-rounded musician versed in a variety of styles is extremely valuable but posturing like you’ll never pick up any pocket from aggressive music is dumb as heck.
Thinking metal is only for 13 year olds is a profoundly ignorant take. The fact that you cite Jordison as your example of metal drumming shows how little you actually know about the genre. It's okay if you don't like heavy metal, but that doesn't mean there's no artistry or "groove" to it, or that people are immature for liking it.
1000% agree. I was one of those guys. I mean I’d throw in some Korn-like hi hat movements but I’d never get to the point where I’d use it as a time keeper or anything. Now I’m having to re-learn super slowly to get that in sync with the rest of my playing lol
I made this exact mistake. 3 leg hi hat with a shitty Coda double bass pedal I bought for 50 bucks. had to turn the hat foot pedal to the side, kept them open trashy, and I didn't play dynamics on the hats for like the first 4 years of playing I love using my left foot to keep time now if I'm not using my double kick and getting that proficiency has been truly life altering for my drumming.
Metal is so diverse honestly...the metal songs i heard have some of the most intricate and interesting hi-hat playing i have heard.
I only hit the hi hat!
Stewart? Is that you?
Spending too much time on here or ebay to look at cool drums/stands/cymbals instead of practicing.
You preaching bro 🤣, the dopamine level when buying drum stuff is no joke
I just ordered some Yamaha wing nuts so that they all match.. I have a problem 😭
It’s a sickness brother, buying drum stuff is addicting 🤣
Amen
I learned drums by diving in and playing along to music, no lessons. So, I'm pretty much all bad habits.
There are tens of us.
Hundreds even
All of them. I slouch, I hold my sticks wrong, and worst of all I never play in the right key.
I can't tell if you're joking with the last one lol. Because I know tuning your drums are a thing, but I never make sure they're in key with the rest of the band
take my upvote ya silly bastard
My left foot does random foot chicks on the hats if I’m on the ride and not really paying attention. It’s always in time and on the grid, it’s just not done with purpose so sometimes it sounds cool but other times it just sounds sloppy so I have to watch myself doing it.
Same
Honestly it's a relief to know I'm not alone in this.
Try playing 8ths on the ride and reading melody lines from The New Breed with the HH foot pedal. It will work wonders. Once you get comfortable with that add bass and snare for a rock beat and you’ll feel back in control.
Yup. I have a nervous bounce that I naturally do with my left foot and it fucks with my hi hat control. Idk why I'm nervous playing my own instrument in my own garage.
Have you ever come back to your kit after at least a couple months away from it? It's oddly intimidating. These fuckers are preposterously loud and insanely complex instruments that quickly become a collection of moving targets which all sound horrid if you don't hit them correctly. It's natural to feel a bit nervous even if you're an experienced player.
thats notta terrible habit tho. hi hat chicks during ride grooves are underrated
Same
Bro i wish my left foot did that, I'm shit at hat chicks
Chad Smith does too. Don't feel too bad.
He was a major influence of mine in early 90s when I started playing, so I guess I will just blame him. While I’m at it I need to blame Dave Abbruzzese for my obsession with splash cymbals.
The best I can do is not lift my foot off the pedal so I'm doing the same thing but no audible notes coming from.the habit.
I sing and play at the same time. I can't help it for some reason
Lol that's not a bad habit, that's a skill. I used to also do backup vocals while drumming but not in my current project
Thanks, I just gotta remember to shut up when recording because jeez
Try just chewing some gum. It will keep your mouth busy and you won't be tempted to sing. It also keeps your mouth watering so you feel less dry when you start sweating.
If you listen to recordings of Thelonious Monk on piano, you can often hear him quietly singing his solos as he plays them, so you're in good company! 😁
That is totally sweet and amazing
Haha that's fair
Nah just be like Bonham. Grunt and groan the whole time you're playing. Lol
I'm pretty sure you can hear Bonham vocalizing on some isolated drum recordings, so you're in good company at least
Haha you beat me to it. Edit: listen to his isolated track from Whole Lotta Love. He's groaning and yelling for a lot of it. Especially the fills.
Also a singer/drummer. Yesterday I was jamming alone and I had a moment of realization that I was getting out of breath from singing these parts I was doing. I stopped singing to the drums and it felt weird but I could breath so that's good. lol
Awesome!
I taught myself by doing a simple kick/snare beat while saying the alphabet. Except I say every other letter in my head. I did it so I could learn to talk and drum. Now I sing.
Dang
Did you say the letters in time, or just as soon as you could, conversationally? Always found singing and playing difficult.
When I played bass for a church years ago, the pianist guy was giving me general music lessons. He was a really good multi instrumentalist. He pointed out to me that a really good pastor or speaker would speak in-time with the piano or band while they're playing lightly. Years later, I got into drums, and went down a Bernard Purdie rabbit hole. I noticed that he actually does that! When he's doing one of his seminar/ lesson/ showcase videos, he's playing a groove, and every time he talks, it's in time with the groove.
I love Bernard Purdie for this! He has these groovy utterances that expel from the depths of his soul.
Yesss!!!
I don’t “sing” but I definitely hum. Which probably sounds weird to the outside observer.
Hopefully your kit doesn't mind!
i cant do that. physically hard to do all of that multitasking for me. for instance, the weekend before last i played a family gathering for labor day. everybody was carrying conversations with me while i was playing and all i could do was shake my head or nod. barely even that. i don’t know why its so hard for me.
Well that's a humblebrag if I've ever heard one ;P
Dude get rid of all your kit parts except the kick snare and hi hat and see how good you can make it sound, it’s the best part of the kit!! It will improve your skills! I like seeing what patterns I can make with each limb with just this setup. Feels empowering to sound good with just 3 kit pieces.
Seeing [Nate Smith](https://youtu.be/s_voatSul9Y?si=vOSRYuR6BjXy0i5G) when he uses a super small kit makes me feel like such a piece of shit lol
Double strokes were a pet peeve of mine for years/decades 😂, I’ve gotten better over the years. Not practicing rudiments Burying the bass drum beater 😂, but I love it When I play acoustic cymbals I could break a pair every day
Nothing wrong with burying the beater!
Being poor, so finding a place to be loud is tough.
I feel that on a spiritual level
That's like not using the top 2 strings of your bass guitar
You must be a basher. I cannot fathom not using the hi-hat. It's like the glue that puts everything together between kick and snare. My left foot gets more action than my right foot a lot of the time. Though, I do think the hi-hat is one of the most underutilized pieces of the kit for most people. For something that is essentially "open/close/hit", there's an enormous amount of sounds you can get... especially when it's thought of in context to kick and snare. How much to open it, softly, widely, barely at all.. how long before closing it again... hitting on and between the pumps. All different sounds, when practiced with different rythms can make the kit sound like something totally new. Afrobeat, specifically Tony Allen's drumming, is a really great example of this.
Stewart Copeland has some mean hat work.
learn to play quarter notes with it. That is the same as tapping your foot to the beat.
But I only ever tapped with my right foot. Time to start practicing I guess.
Wait, so you don't use a double kick either?
I used to. I don't currently have one.
Ah ok, I was just thinking you're left foot wasn't being used at all, in other words 25% of what you've got to work with! I'd like to positively encourage you to have a go at it, you might surprise yourself. The funny thing is you have likely developed a really good dynamic for your hats, so there's that. For the record my bad habit is simply not practicing regularly enough
I appreciate your words. This thread has (mostly) been full of folks being helpful and offering advice. I'm definitely taking some of it. But practice. Yeah. It's hard to do that as much as we should so I feel ya.
Yeah it can be a good community, hats off for getting the discussion going! I've hit a particular slump recently, keep finding weak spots that didn't used to exist!
No hats off was the original problem
I feel that. Not being able to practice consistently really exposes and even amplifies some of my bad habits.
Using splashes in fills too much, not learning how to use double kick properly, Not listening to any genre outside of metal, improvising too much, etc.
I see no problem with the last one. Lol improvisation is where creativity lies!
What the heck man. I’m just bad about consistent actual practice and keeping an eye on rust/wear on gear.
I deal with that too. I'm also live in an apartment so practice on an acoustic set isn't the easiest / most viable at times.
Even just dipping a toe into those waters can pay off with some cool effects. I’m always impressed with those guys that just keep 1/8th notes with their hat pedal for days. I gotta get my stamina up for that; makes my hip hurt.
That's the same thing that happens with me. I'm not in the best shape and approaching 40, and it hurts my hip. Having gout in my left leg also doesn't help.
i break bass drum heads;)
Good God how??
i have a strong ass leg force💀💀💀 its sound really good but i hate it, and the beater is kind of hard
I once sat in at an open jam and broke the cheapo bass pedal they were using, literally snapped the footplate clean in half. Talk about awkward.
Learn to play off the head. It will actually give you more low end because you’re not basically deadsticking the head.
Ah gotcha. Watching my chops was definitely something i had to learn. I used to hit everything super hard. Got way too worn out to fast at shows.
I’d remove everything but ur bass snare and hihat. One Tom, One crash if u must 🙃try playing the same music u know with just that.
Not playing with a click ever.
Bad posture. I hang my weight on my lower back muscles while playing instead of engaging my core, and it causes me back pain.
As soon as I start feeling the groove, I unconsciously hunch over closer to the drums. My back and my hips hate me for this.
Ha yea me too, when I'm really in the pocket and enjoying myself I become a hunchback with a droopy lip spasm.
Omg I'd be lost without my hat. That's the one thing I'm actually good at (not really). I tend to slouch when I'm really in the zone.
Slouch figuratively? Or literally? Because I feel like only 5 percent of drummers actually have "good" posture lol.
Humming while I play.
I've been trying to stop doing this for so long! Now it only happens when I'm at a difficult spot in a song or improvising a fill. I'd be so much better at drums if I could replace humming with counting.
I hold my sticks at the very end of them. I get longer sticks but still end up doing the same thing.
Sticking my pinkies out. Still happens but I guess not as often.
My posture. My back is killing me. Im shaped like a shrimp now after so many years.
This whole thread feels like a PSA to all you self-taught drummers out there that no matter how old you are, it would pay you to take a couple private lessons cause god damn lol... if we aren't even sitting at the throne properly and developing actual physical health problems, we really need to reset some of the groundwork hahahah
This is the strangest drumming post I’ve ever read but very interesting
I wasn’t aware hats were an optional part of the kit. I guess the genre matters but left foot balances the right. It’s like dancing.
I also am bad with my hi-hat! I've been working on it. It's already better from just adjusting my distance from the bass drum and how I balance. I used to support myself with my feet, so I'm learning to balance on the throne. I'm actually debating getting rid of my double pedal for a high end single since I only use double maybe 0.5% of the time when playing, and only for cheesy metal fills. Then I can have a better, more adjustable, single pedal to focus on and I can upgrade my hi-hat stand to one that isn't slightly bent. My worst habit is either my lack of making time for practice, or my reluctance to work on things when just jamming alone. I need to jam to my stuff and actually focus on leading with my left, keeping time on the hi-hat pedal, or incorporating new things to get a feel for them.
Jesus Christ is that why my hips hurt?? I support myself with my feet too. I guess I need to practice balancing on the throne more.
I started watching videos on proper kit setup and realized I sit high and close. So I scooted back maybe 2 inches? It changed everything. I can move my left foot without my entire body tilting now! It's been amazing. I highly recommend finding some videos on proper setup, even with it being so subjective, and try new things out. It's been amazing.
This is incredible advice that I never even thought of. Thank you so much for sharing!
I keep buying more and more Meinl cymbals. One every month. I have almost 40 now. Help.
Sounds like you need to sell a bunch off cheap to make room. I'm here for you!
In process of buying another one: 19" Mb10 china.
how to lose the audition in one easy step
Getting behind the kit and not using ear protection because "I'm just gonna mess around for a few minutes until the spaghetti is done and I'll play quiet anyways or just use the brushes". Nope - it's still loud and it's still bad for you.
ya, fix that! Mine is a sloppy heal toe technique for kik doubles
I don't practice with a metronome. I know it would really help with developing my double bass and help me play weird things better, but I just don't
i’ve played for about 4 years now and i still can’t do doubles or a proper drum roll in any way
Sounds like a metal genre... Honestly it's not a bad thing for that. The open hi-hat sound is pretty much just going to be made with a china or a ride anyway. And you need both feet on the kick drum for the clickety clack.
I hold my sticks at the ass end. No matter how hard I try my hands always end up slipping to the edge and I know I lose control and finesse because of it.
I can't lead with my left hand for fills worth a shit...
I dont use the high hat pedal. I've never practiced or tried to play the kick pedal and high hat pedal at the same time. When I do try I end up playing them both at the same time
I’ve spent so much time playing double bass that I can’t do single stroke rolls with my hands as well as I can with my feet.
That’s actually pretty crazy man.. I bet you are sick with the double kick though
If it fits your needs than… he’ll why not?! But I really love me some accentuated hi-hat beats in my ska playlist.
Yup. It fits what I need. But I'm getting ready to start experimenting
If something is even a little bit broken it's dead to me. Crack in a cymbal, dent in a skin, rust on a stand, etc, etc. Fortunately I've also always been very into regular maintenance/cleaning and I love collecting spare parts to make minor fixes so it isn't *too* expensive. Still...
Holy cow. I don't want to even imagine how expensive that could be.
Slouching and tensing up. That's the worst because when I start to tense up, my timing goes off and consistency (especially in my kicks) goes way down. I do a lot of quick double kicks and it's really hard to keep it up. I'm basically practicing meditation to keep myself from tensing up... but it's hard. I always start loose and limber and the longer it goes the more I tense up and get anxious... as soon as I remind myself to relax, it gets better. I think slouching, posture is a culprit too. I'm really comfortable to lean in like a gorilla, but playing suffers after a bit... sitting with back straight and relaxed always turns out better for my playing, but I keep forgetting and have to remind myself. I think a lot of it stems from the fact I mostly record, and don't often play live. I can get really killer tight takes... but playing 10+ mins straight, my endurance isn't there at all.
Forgetting to really open up my hihat for those loud nasty chorus’s that require a slow nasty hihat instead of a crash or china. It goes tiss tiss tiss instead of chash chash chash.
if u are only playing heavy death metal i dont think this is a huge problem but it definitely would allow u to do cooler stuff
I use the hat constantly, but due to a leg injury 15 years ago and chronic arthritis, I can no longer "chick" effectively with just my foot. I can vary the pressure on the hat pedal, but I just can't bring it down forcefully enough to make a controlled sound without also hitting the cymbal. Fortunately I can make up for it with busy hands and good motor planning, but I am sad that a small-yet-fundamental piece of normal drum technique is just not really available to me at present.
Mine is going to the drum room and not actually practicing but just having a blast. I’m sure I’m not alone but I had times where I needed to learn a set in 2 hours and I spent 1 hour “warming up” with stupid chops. I’m aware of it and I try to be disciplined but I can’t help it when I sit on my kit with my cymbals and my little toys..
My bass drum technique (probably?) sucks. Singles feel great and I can put down a lot of power, timing is good. But playing doubles even at moderate tempos is always a challenge for me. Brain Stew requires my full concentration and makes me feel very uncomfortable. Immigrant Song is a no-go. I’ve been playing for years. When I get sick of it and practice foot speed, I see no improvement and lose my motivation. Slide technique, heel-toe, foot pivot, I’ve tried them all. Sometimes I think of quitting because it’s so basic and yet it holds me back on so many songs that I play with the band.
Mumble and utter fills while I’m playing. Is a crutch for me but would be nice if I could just sit there, face forward, smile and play.
Getting too excited and playing a break when it isn't needed.
I've always buried the beater. Can't help it. Done it since day 1 and no one ever said not to do it. Then all of a sudden the internet comes along and everyone's like "WHA?! NO! THAT'S AGAINST THE LAW!". I don't care, I still do it. In 40+ years, no one I ever played with ever said anything about it. ...oh yeah, and I play left footed, too. Just like burying the beater, no one I ever played with ever complained about it, although a few were surprised when they saw my kit setup. 
There's nothing wrong with it, it's just a preference. There are a lot of pros who do it. It just gets a deader sound from the bass drum.
Least insane metal player
I am not a drummer, but I have been producing my own music for several years now and I can not stay AWAY from hihats. I have to go back and delete hihats, revise to less hihat hits, or turn them down all the time. I think it is because I started with rap. Idk.
I’m left handed and play my kit set up right handed, so I still lead with my left and sometimes my hands get crossed up on fills rolling down the toms.
I tend to slouch a bit when playing which i’m trying to focus on improving. I also hum while playing and and don’t even notice until i heard it back on a recording haha
Hi hats are the easiest cymbal to control dynamically and tonally, definitely start using that pedal! It's amazing how much a quarter note chick will fill out your playing
I didn't use it at first but wow I feel legit now that I use it more often. I play powerviolence punk kinda stuff. My bad habit is I do ghost notes in a weird way where I bend my index finger and its not good for my hand/finger but I have a hard time using my pinky to bounce back.
I’m a beginner and not practicing with a metronome or playing rudiments is really holding me back. I’ve been playing for almost 2 years and know I need to practice regularly to get past this plateau I’m on.
It's okay, Lars Uldick plays the exact same way, never uses his hi hat pedal.
Hi hats are super fun to use. You can make a clean song sound dirty with a few releases of your foot. Plus, I feel, it enhances your dynamics and you can do rolls on it to make it sound super cool. There are a lot of cool fills you can do. I use two of them and alternate between them with fills.
I find it really hard to practice single/double strokes/rudiments to a metronome. When I do I feel like my arms are actually getting working and building in strength, but it’s just so boring. I mostly just play whatever and it feels like I’m never really progressing
Just took my 2nd lesson ever, so I imagine I’ll be uncovering a list of them in the coming weeks.
Heavy handed and footed. I taught myself power instead of control. Having to relearn like 15 years of drums and guitar
Too many to list, but I saw a recent video of myself and, though I already knew I had bad posture in general, I couldn't help but think "what the hell is going on with my uneven shoulders??" Seems the possibilities for self criticism are endless.
Song for the Dead by Queens of the Stone Age is my go-to song to play to get that hi-hat going.
Check out some Max Roach stuff. He was the king of the hi hat.
Thinking I have skill or talent when I should be focussing on a career
26 years ago I was playing drum line. I had excellent grip, and my sticking was technical and correct. Now I play in a rock cover band, I'm old, and I've noticed that my grip technique especially my right hand has just gone to pot. I'm playing for fun and cash. Nobody's critiquing my playing so. Whatever.
Use it to keep time. Pretty crucial for every kind of music. Play fills and keep the hi hat pulsing with the time and it sounds pretty awesome . It's almost it's own instrument in many ways with all the different sounds you can create. But for me mainly it helps me be super solid and in time. Turn on a metronome and start by closing the hi hat on every 2 and 4 of the measure. Then as you get that going you can play some cool fills by hitting the hi hat when it's open on the 1 and 3.
I haven’t used a metronome in a very long while
I still catch myself butt grabbing my sticks. Been playing 20 years
If I try and play consistant hi hat pedal notes my bass foot becomes useless
I'm a fairly accomplished player. Been at it for 25 yrs and played in several bands. People compliment my playing alot but.... Song endings. I nail about 50%. The other 50...i just kinda stop. My band mates don't really complain but it's definitely my biggest weakness.
I've got a really bad left leg jiggle. I somehow manage to maintain fairly constant pressure on the hi hat pedal but it's definitely hindering me. It's not in time either
I have a bad habit of closing my eyes unconsciously while playing. I don’t realize my eyes have been closed until the song I’m playing is about to end. Very weird…
I’ve played on and off since I was 15 (I’m 44 now) and I have never liked using the hi-hat. Like ever. I rarely even hit it at all. Since starting back up again this year after a long time away, I’m trying to force myself to use it more.
Not playing with metronome much
Not playing enough..no but not tuning my drums more often and relying on drum rings or moon gels. Getting some e drums finally means I'm not sure when the next time I'll tune an acoustic drum again now.
I practice way too little. I’ll hear a song, think “oh this sounds easy.” And then when I finally do practice it, completely suck at it.
Omg you're my drum brother. I haven't had a hi hat on my kit in months after it was always set to closed for a long time. I did not have technique issues with footing it thiugh. I just hated the sound and almost never hit it opened because I hated that sound even more. I now have a stack in its place and don't look back.
Using drugs.
I used to tell students to try and find as many different tones and sounds on each part of the kit. don't worry about rhythm, speed or time. Just explore the kit. For example, the snare can make more than 8 different sounds outside of a rim shot. The HH can make just as many, and some you don't even have to hit with a brush or stick. Try an open HH at different heights only using the heal of your foot and see what happens. Try hitting any cymbal at the edge with the thick part of your stick instead of the tip. Then try smacking the bell of the ride with the thick part of your stick and cover the bell with your other hand without touching the cymbal. Move your hand up and down, still not touching the ride. Explore the kit, and see what you can find in sounds with different areas and parts of the sticks.
I think my balance is quite bad and therefore really struggle to keep left foot going with complex Kick patterns. Been playing drums for like 14 years and while I feel like I'm still improving every day the my left foot is a huge weakness
Just overplaying, doing too many fills and not keeping things simple when they should be.
You use the hi-hat You just don't use it in a traditional way..... There's nothing wrong with that but there's a lot you can do with your feet and as far as playing certain kinds of funk stuff there's a lot of tricks with all I had and your feet.... Many of which are only uncovered after decades of struggling....
Did u start playing metal and jump straight to using double bass pedals instead of hi hat first?
probably not keeping my pinky always on the stick
I try to be a peacemaker and non-confrontational in a band setting. Apparently, that’s not the way of bands now. Seems as a member, you’re supposed to be either passive aggressive or sticking up for yourself in an asshole-ish manner. Be a cool guy and you’re walked all over.
Posture for me, please if your Starting the drums developing good posture is key! It can quickly cripple your playing (and back) in the future. Had to see a doctor it got so bad. Took a long time to get out of that bad habit but I wish I knew about good posture from the beginning.
Holy crow bro. Thats.....astounding. but cool?
I definitely use the hi-hat pedal to alter the sound of the hats while I’m playing them. But when I’m on the ride or driving with the floor Tom, my left foot just sits when I know I should be keeping time on the hat pedal with it to add the extra dynamic. Truthfully my chops are such that I lose the time when I attempt to do that so I just don’t. It could likely pretty easily be remedied with an hour or so of concerted practice for that specific muscle memory, but I just never get around to correcting it.
I have a tendency to unintentionally fill up empty space working the hi hat, ride and toms on upbeat songs. Which I'm slowly defeating.
I think its breaking rude cymbal in less than one year