Playing easy drum songs is not only fun. It has been proven that it has health benefits too. Hence, you don’t need to play easy drum songs just for performance purposes.
But if you are keen on improving your drum skills and making the most of your drumming tunes, you need serious practice on a drum.
Playing drum tunes along with music is one way to get there. Music on drum not only motivates you to become better, but it is also the best to know if what you are doing is right.
In this guide, we are going to look at some of the best play-along songs – especially for beginners.
Before starting, ensure you have a good drum set in the right place. There are several budget-friendly drum options you can buy online. Just be sure to get something that makes you feel in control.
What are good drum songs?
There are so many drumming songs for drums out there. Just go online, and the list is overwhelming. That’s why we created a post with a selection of all the best beginner drum songs.
In my experience, there are no good or bad drum songs to play. After all, someone went through a lot of trouble to create them on drum, and they did not want the songs to be bad.
However, as a beginner, you need something that is motivational and easy to follow. Some people give up on drumming after picking the wrong song because they think it is too hard to learn a drum.
It is, therefore, vital to find the right song. Whether you know how to play or just a newbie, the right song can make the most difference.
Here are some features of a good song:
Motivational
As stated above, drumming calls for great motivation. You need to feel the drums in your heart – that you want to play them. If you don’t get this, then everything you do will not count as important. And that is how you start giving up.
If you love music, there must be something that makes you feel at peace. Every song carries different meanings to different people. Hence, your choice should be based on how much you enjoy it.
Since we are looking at instruments, the lyrics may not be of much importance. But you can still consider them if you feel so strongly about it.
The bottom line is, your song needs to make sense to you. It has to appeal to you personally.
Easy
Many up-coming drummers have given up because they felt drumming is too complex and frustrating. One thing that makes them feel this way is probably because they picked one of the hardest songs to play on drums.
As much as you need to challenge yourself, don’t go for a too hard song. Take one step at a time, so that you feel fulfilled when you can tackle the hard ones.
And talking of challenges, be careful not to pick something too easy. That can be another reason you are not motivated enough to continue.
There are a bunch of easy songs dedicated to helping learners get their online drum lessons straight. If you can get hold of one, your life will be much easier.
Make a list of these songs to play according to the level of difficulty. Once you know where to begin, you will feel progressing through different levels, and perhaps be motivated to take on harder tasks.
Your drumming styles
There are several music genres that all have different drumming styles. Choosing one is all a matter of personal preference.
It is important to understand the available music styles and pick the right one. Many drummers can juggle between these genres, but they began by mastering one.
You can do the same. Pick one genre and learn to perfect its drumming style. From here, you can take on more genres once you are sure.
There is no easy style. Jazz, metal, rock R’n’B, and any other music style have its complications that can be hard to master.
Easy drum songs for beginners
Based on the features above, here are some of the easiest songs to play for beginners to play drums.
Katy Perry’ Teenage Dream
The beat pattern in this song is one of the easiest you can find. There are no complications, and you can learn it in a few hours.
It is light and catchy, which makes it motivational. And once you have mastered it, you will feel like a true celebrity playing along.
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was one of the best musicians in the world. His works have traveled to all corners to the globe, making him a true inspiration to all who listen.
Billie Jean is one of his iconic tunes of all time. The drum work was done by award winner Leon ‘Ndugu’ Chancler.
The beat of the songs is called “Money Beat,” and it is the beat of many hit songs singing in many hit songs to play. You can even listen to MP3 while doing other things.
You will find the time you spend learning the beats of this song a great investment because they form the basis of many beats. It exposes you to a whole world of the easy drum with songs beats, making it simple for you to learn drums.
Celebration by Kool & The Gang
If you are a party lover, this classic music on drums will get you excited. One thing that makes it ideal for playing along is its simple groove. It gives the song a lot of energy and movement.
Learning the song is pretty simple. Just keep the quaver hi-hats consistent while counting 1+2+3+4+5+.
This is a disco classic that has been used by many beginner drummers. It is a good investment if you are looking for something fun and motivational.
Seven Nation Army by The White Stripe
The catchy chorus on the white stripes Seven Nation Army has been institutionalized across the world. It features among the easy songs anyone can play along.
The drums are pretty basic, yet they keep the song moving. The white stripes floor tom crotches have been well utilized on the verse while the crash cymbal energizes the chorus.
This song will leave you dancing in your heart. And once you have mastered the moves, accenting to higher levels will be much easier.
We Will Rock You by Queen
When the classic “boom boom clap” begins to ring, you can easily identify it with some of the most iconic beats of all time. This simple, yet effective beginner drum song lets you perfect your ‘kick-snare’ skills, matching the stomps and claps.
The song is designed for beginners. And this is why you will find it in most electronic drum set in the world today.
Once you have mastered the moves, try bringing in the quaver notes to the beat.
Back In Black by AC/DC
This legendary AC/DC rock classic is among the most loved beginner drum songs. It comes with simple and easy to follow the groove. Though a bit tricky, it is challenging enough to encourage your growth.
Its feature is 1 bar fill to grasp, which beautifully alternates between the snare and the bass+hats.
When you open up the hi-hats, this song gives you a bit more sizzle. You can feel the energy behind the snare hits flowing through your arms.
Slow Ride by Foghat
All the songs above are very easy. And once you are sure they are in your mind, it is time to try out something a bit faster.
Slow Ride is another incredible song. You have been playing with a 4th note; now you are moving to the 8th note on the hi-hats and crash cymbals. They don’t just fall on the 1 beat, which makes it more interesting.
Be careful with the verses that swap out the snare on the 2 and 4 for the floor toms.
Are drums easy to learn?
Drums can be a great way to get your mind in shape. Learning them can be easy and hard at the same time.
It all depends on your level of motivation and how much you really want to understand drumming.
Some drummers take only a few weeks, and they are already gigging, while others take a long time. Your level of determination and how much you practice could be a good reason to make them easy or hard.
A drummer is considered the backbone of their band. You will be keeping time and rhythm, ensuring the rest of the band is getting along well with the song.
This means there are a lot of things you will be learning, more than just hitting the drums. Most importantly, you need to learn timekeeping, which happens to be the hardest thing.
Generally, learning drums is fairly hard. This is because you are learning other things that make music.
How do you play a simple drum beat?
The beat on the songs above is all easy and pretty basic. This means, with the right mindset, you can learn to play them fast and easy.
First, understand how parts of your drum set work in the beat. You have the kick, the hi-hat, the floor tom, the ride, and the crash, all of which play different parts. The hi-hat works perfectly and having such a hi-hat is not normal..
Listen to the beat carefully first without playing any other instruments. This should help you get a clear picture of how the song is flowing.
Start playing along bit by bit until you get the rhythm. You can then begin practicing until you grasp the flow.
How can I practice drumming with music?
Before you start, you will need the right gear. You cannot start practicing or playing along with any song if you don’t have the drums.
You need the following items:
- A practice pad. Assuming that you already have a clue of how to play drums, you need something to help you practice. In this case, a practice pad. This is a simple device that can help you practice rudiments.
- Best metronome. Timekeeping is key in drumming. You cannot do this off-head unless you have thoroughly trained your ear, which takes time. Hence, you need a metronome.
- Best Headphones. You don’t want to disturb your neighbours with loud drumming, a quality pair of headphones can be a good help.
- Drumsticks and the throne. Many beginners go for junk quality drumsticks – some which come with bass drum sets. But if you want the best output, invest in a good snare drum set. A proper bass drum throne is key, too, as it will give you more energy.
Once you have these items, ensure the drums are set correctly. And then don’t run before you can walk. Begin slowly and advance with experience.
When playing beginner drum songs, consistency is critical. You need to control every aspect of the snare drum set.
Play along the songs are many times as you want, making sure to follow every part.
Final thought
Playing along your favorite songs is a great way to improve your drumming skills. I hope this guide has been helpful.