Drums, Injuries and Health

While drumming is known for its ability to burn calories, relieve stress and anxiety and provide a wealth of health benefits through music therapy, the dedicated drummer can still fall prey to various health issues attributed to the art of drumming. Whether the drummer jams on a Djembe in a circle, shreds the skins of a full drum kit, or straps on a set of drums for a one-person show, drumming is physically demanding and can lead to discomfort and permanent injury if proper precautions are not taken.

Hand drumming on a Djembe, Bongos or Congas may provide a tactile release of stress, anxiety and creativity, but it can also impact the joints and tendons of the upper back, shoulders, elbows, wrists and fingers of the drummer. Repetitive stress injuries are common for hand drummers, along with issues like carpal tunnel or tendonitis. Rim shots can cause cuts and scrapes on the hands, and all hand drummers are susceptible to blisters and cracked skin when playing for long periods of time.

Drummers that sit for long periods of time, either on stage, in the recording studio or within drum circles can be affected by problems related to poor posture. Marathons of music and rhythm can cause the drummer to slouch over time, leading to pain and injury in the neck, shoulders, upper and lower back. Many of the same problems can affect drummers that stand while playing. If the drums are attached to equipment and stands, be sure to adjust the height level appropriately. For drummers strapped to a drum, keeping the shoulders back and head forward can help keep the spine aligned and lessen the stress on the body. Always practice proper drumming posture to improve drumming skill and longevity.

Other drumming injuries can happen due to the equipment itself. Drum kits and drum stands should always be secure and stable to prevent drums falling. Sticks, mallets and brushes need to be examined for any cracks, splits or breaks before use. Many drummers report injuries due to a stick or mallet splintering during play, or losing control of the stick, causing injuries to the face, eyes or head.

Common sense can be a drummer’s best friend before any performance, circle or jam session. Always be sure to stretch and warm up before drumming, secure stands and straps, check the position of the drums and quality of any sticks and mallets before playing. The entertainment value of drumming and its wellness benefits are plenty, but even the greatest drummers need to take time for self-care and awareness before tending to the needs of others.

TweetLabels: Djembe, Drumming, Fitness, Health, Injuries

posted by Chelsea at 9:00 PM

Tuning Conga Drums

No matter how carefully a set of conga drums is handled, or the amount of time spent playing the congas, these Latin percussion instruments will need to be tuned periodically in order to ensure the best sound and playability. The difficult part of tuning the congas is not the actual tuning of the drums, but knowing that there is actually no

Drums and Astrology

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Drums and percussion instruments have distinct personalities, in a sense, which can directly affect the drummer's ability to play within a drum circle, recording studio or on stage. Because of these differences in instruments, a drummer may face a difficult decision deciding which drum or percussion instrument is best for his or her particular style. Musical and drumming talent aside, one of the best ways to find your percussion soul mate is through the age-old practice of astrology. Below are some recommendations

Arrival In Halifax And A Stunning Drums Performance

March 15th, 2011

Right at the foot of Duke Street, next to the Metro Transit Ferry Terminal that takes you over to Dartmouth, I discovered one of Halifax’ treasured icons: Theodore Too is a tugboat modeled after a popular character in a Canadian children’s television show named

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Is Drums Difficult?

April 14th, 2011

The first is the bass drum. This is the big drum that sits on the flower and offers the low pitched sound that goes boom when you hit it with a foot pedal.

You also have the tom-toms. In a drum set, it comes in a set of three. You have the floor tom, the medium tom, and the high tom. In any drum set, you will also find the cymbals. Basically, these are the metal round objects. In drum sets, you will find the crash, ride, splash, and the high hat.

You also have the snare drum, which you will usually find on a drum set. This particular drum is usually hit with the drummer’s non-dominant hand.

These are the basic things that you will see on a drum set. After learning about the different type of drums used in a drum kit, the next step is to learn how to properly hold the drum stick. Basically, you can hold it any way you can as long as you are comfortable. But, it is best to get some advice on how to hold the drum sticks as it can have a great impact on the way you play the drums.

You can start playing the drums with simple notes and try to coordinate your hands with your feet at the same time. This is the hard part in playing the drums and it will take time and practice for you to completely have coordination on your whole body when playing the drums.

You can enroll in classes, buy tapes, videos, and even access the internet to get lessons.

It is a fact that learning how to play the drums is very difficult especially when you get to the part where you need to coordinate your hands and feet. But, with time, practice and dedication, you will be able to play the drums like a pro.

Want to learn how to play drums? Get online drum lessons of different styles such as metal drumming and r & b drumming.

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How To Choose A Used Drum Set Play Drums Like A Pro

May 15th, 2011

Now that you have finally chosen to learn how to play the drums and become the next Ringo Starr or Alex Van Halen, you need to remember that before you can start jamming with your friends in your garage and producing your first single, you need to have a drum set first.

Besides, banging an empty garbage can with the lid as the cymbal, and using your mom’s wooden spoon as drum sticks will not really sound great on tape, not to mention that the ears of the people within hearing range will be complaining.

However, what if you really don’t have the money to purchase a new drum set? You have to consider the fact that brand new drum sets can really be expensive. And, in some cases, the cymbals that are included are not really that great in terms of quality.

If you really want to buy your own drum set but you still don’t have the money for a brand new one, you might want to consider buying a used drum set. You’d be surprised as to how many people are willing to give up a perfectly good drum set for a very low price.

In most cases, these people are parents whose kids have gone to college or moved out who are looking to turn the basement in to a home entertainment room.

In some cases, the sellers may be musicians who are looking to upgrade their drum set. Either way, you will see that they will be able to offer you great prices for their drum set.

Learn drums with drum rudiments chart and drum sets for sale.

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Learn How to Play Drums Using the Matched Grip for Volume, Speed, and Accuracy

For even more power with not much added effort, release the pinkie, index, and ring fingers some more, and let the stick rise up to vertical, or almost vertical angle, as the wrist comes up before you hit the drum (Figure 2). As the stick goes down, again push it with the curled fingers. If you make the motion fast enough, you should hear a “whoosh” as the stick moves through the air. The tip of the stick is going supersonic… only kidding, but it’s going pretty fast, and this with just the wrist and fingers. Bringing the tip high up gives the hand a longer opportunity to apply force to the stick, resulting in a greater velocity, and therefore a louder sound as you play. Furthermore, the stick will bounce high and go back up. It’s almost as if the stick is playing itself and you are just helping it along a little. This makes playing fast drum rolls much easier, and because it’s easier, the roll strokes will be more even and accurate. Try it! LRLRLRLR… As you do the roll, also use your forearms a little in an up and down motion.

Electronic Drums vs. Acoustic Drums

          
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Basic Drum Lessons to Help You Learn How to Play the Drums

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Best Places to Find Drums for Sale Online

- Amazon is not a music equipment store, but it partners with music equipment sellers that sell through the Amazon Web site. Since quite a few of the largest music stores on the Interned sell through Amazon, Amazon has a very large selection of drums for sale all in one place. So just in case you can’t find what you’re looking for in Same Day Music, hop over to Amazon. The terms and conditions of your purchase will vary by the specific seller that you buy from on Amazon, so be sure to go over those before making your purchase.

Click here to go to Amazon’s drums and percussion section.