Drum AND sing?

Drum and Sing

Drumming and singing is a very hard skill to learn and whilst most drummers have no aspirations to be the next Phil Collins most can be great back up singers. So todays blog comes from a drummer with some tips on mastering this difficult technique.

Recommendations to Enable Simultaneous Singing and Drum Kit Playing:

1). Go to a classical vocal instructor and have your voice evaluated. I took classical vocal lessons for a year to learn the techniques necessary to breath and project without damaging my vocal chords. This also helped me learn how to setup my drum stool for optimum singing and playing posture (I brought my drum throne to each lesson - and my instructor thought I was nuts).

2). As I was taking lessons, I slowly began learning backup harmonies while playing in various bands - but I still didn't drum and sing into the mics.

3). Before I "opened my mouth" officially behind the kit, I found for me, that it was best to get all of my drum parts down "cold" first. I figured this was the case because I wouldn't have to consciously think "too much more" as I added a vocal part into the mix. Heck, we're all already using all of our limbs when we play anyway! We have so much more "going on" then most other musicians!

4). Next, I started learning singing parts "in sections" (and not at a rehearsal). Personally, I would repeat a section of a piece until I know that I was playing smoothly and was singing on pitch. I still find this to be a successful approach. Based on this, I recommend that you don't move on to the next vocal phrase until you've gotten both your drumming and vocal parts down in the previous phrase. Oh, to know whether you're doing everything correctly use a metronome (for time analysis) and a recording device (for pitch). When you like what you hear, move on to the next phrase... and so on.

5). I recommend learning/singing backing vocal parts first. These parts are not as constantly occurring as lead parts, but they still require you attain the right words and notes while others are singing with you. This allows you to gain confidence continually.

6). Use a headset mic for performing if you can. Even the best overhead boom stands are distracting and take up too much space. One of the absolute best headset mics that I've found for drummers is Crown's "CM 311 series" (and I don't work for Crown). This mic is able to reject essentially all drum sounds (including the snare drum) while you sing and play! This is a very unique capability - and a VERY important one

Warm ups for Drummers

Since drumming is a very physically demanding instrument, we need to prepare our bodies properly for both practice and performance - like an athletic event. And just as with different sports, drumming requires the use of its own unique set of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. So, how you incorporate drumming warm up and stretching exercises will impact your playing while reducing your chance of injury.

Obviously the key is to stretch and build your warm up ready to play live or in a rehearsal. So, I begin simply by "cold-stretching" my arms, wrists and fingers for about 5 minutes. I follow this by stretching my ankles and legs for about the same time. The best way is to press your foot against a wall thus stretching your calf muscle (see below)

Next you need to get behind the kit and slowly build your playing from slow through mid pace to fast. Each section should take around 5 minutes and contain a progression within itself. So start with a simple snare snap then build till using the whole kit a t the desired level. It is also worth doing this on pads or if you don’t have access then simply dampen your kit.