Metal?

zephead19

Senior Member
Hey all i just joined a new band. However its a metal band. I have basically never played metal before. I mostly play classic 70s rock, and to give you a reference to my ability i have played through most of carmine appice's realistic rock. Now the new band i joined plays modern metal, stuff like underoath. So i am asking for help from all you metal drummers out there, where do i start? What exercises should i be doing, any books i should get? basically anything you give me will help!
Thanks in advance, zep
 
Hey Zep........I don't play metal at all.....but I'll take a guess that fast 16th's with your feet will at least be a basic requirement for modern metal. How are they at the moment?....do they need work?.....I reckon it could at least be a starting point. - As a side issue....blast beats at 250 to 300bpm (it would appear that 200bpm is 'SO YESTERDAY' too), seem to be what young punters strive for also!!
 
Ahh... My forte.

200 BPM in a way is "So yesterday" But it is still very essential. It's kind of like the new basic. If you can nail that it's one thing, but when pursuing speed, control is just as important! Take a look at it this way; Chris Adler doesn't have the ridiculous 250 BPM blast beat speed but the control of his pedals is absolute art work.

Practice singles like there is no tomorrow. Basic stuff, just have to speed it up. Another thing is to play with your hands separately and give them each independence. Blasting with your right hand I see in some ways as the easy way out, so learn to use your left hand, it's just as important.
 
I will try basic exercises like RLRL and LRLR (16th notes) for long periods of time all the way from 80bpm up to whatever you can manage as long as you can stay relaxed.

Also, this looks basic but try it both, hands and feet. Your overall endurance will increase in no time.
 
If its underoath type stuff then thats relatively simple (the main complexity in my opinion is that Aaron sings). Like the others said.. singles are very important.
If you are playing double bass then I would advise learning the rudiments and then voice them with different limbs.. can make some fun fill ideas.

Books.. just the standard Stick Control etc, I haven't ever bought a book solely based around 'metal'. Oh.. make sure you spend time leading with your left foot/left hand too.
 
Review Bill Ward's (Black Sabbath) and Scott Travis (Judas Priest) styles, throughout.
 
Metal just like all other genres of music is too varied for you to put under your thumb so easily. yes learning to play a double pedal helps, fast singles also help. After that there are no rules, many musicians have shown that you can apply any style of drumming to metal and make it work if you do it well.

look at lets say:
Lamb of God
Behemoth
Mastodon

three bands in the realm of metal, but three very different styles of drumming.
 
Buy metal drummers' dvds.

When writing a drum beat for a riff, make your bass pedals fit with the bass guitar tune and keep an 8th note pattern on the hihat/cymbals and a quarter note pattern on 2nd and 4th with your snare.

Also work on speed as most metal people emphasise speed over technique, sadly.
 
Buy metal drummers' dvds.

When writing a drum beat for a riff, make your bass pedals fit with the bass guitar tune and keep an 8th note pattern on the hihat/cymbals and a quarter note pattern on 2nd and 4th with your snare.

do this with every riff its very creative
 
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