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Do you keep count in your head?

reneedrums - Sun, 01/31/2010 - 22:53 | 6,797 views

Hi,

My preschool daughter wants to learn to drum so I'm trying to teach myself the basics so I can help.

My question to you drums is: Do you keep time in your head by counting or do you just "feel" the timing.

I've had two instructors for her, one says he counts the the says she doesn't. What do you guys think? How do good drummers keep time?

Here is my daughter practicing reading her music. If you have any suggestions please leave a comment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv_LYIZNY7U

Drummer Comments (2)

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ZeAaron Says Re: Do you keep count in your head?

Submitted On: Monday, Feb 1, 2010 - 8:15 AM

i dont sub devide down to sixteenth notes, but when playing with a conductor, i do count in my head, but aside from that, where tepo can very a little bit, i just feel the pulse and count on my internal metronome.

but when starting off, its pretty important to learn top count, to build her time, IMO

drumfreak Says Do you keep count in your head?

Submitted On: Sunday, Jan 31, 2010 - 10:02 PM

most of the time... depends on what I'm playing, but yes counting is so important, or get a metronome going!

reneedrums Says Re: Do you keep count in your head?

Submitted On: Sunday, Jan 31, 2010 - 10:13 PM

Thanks for the response. I guess what I mean is, when you’re doing a fill are you counting 1-&-2-3-E-&-Ah-4-E-&-Ah. Or do you just “feel” the fill. Sorry, I’m a bit clumsy with my drum lingo.

drumfreak Says Re: Re: Do you keep count in your head?

Submitted On: Monday, Feb 1, 2010 - 11:59 AM

It all depends on the speed you're playing at. If you're going slow, you can subdivide based on the type of fill you're playing. If you're doing 8th notes, sub divide 8th notes, if you're doing a 16th note fill, then subdivide into 16th notes. You must count these as you're learning. Always try to play it as slow as possible - painfully slow like half the speed and count it... then work your way up. Soon enough, you should be able to play fills without counting them all the time.

Some people substitute sounds insteaad of "one e and a two e and uh" I wish I could type it out, but as long as your sounds make sense to you, you can use whatever internal mechanisim. "Pat Boone, Debbie Boone" is another way of internalizing your counting... Pat - snare - Boone - tom, Debbie - snare snare - Boone - Tom or so on... you can really be creative and "phrase" things how you want after you understand the basics of counting and have honed that internal clock.

https://DrummerConnection.com/playalongs is an excellent source for drumless music without and with metronome sfor you to practice to!