Repost: Learning To Play Drums On Your Lap
Last year, at about this time I posted this and got great response. What I’d love to SEE is some more lap drum videos! Read through and take a video of you lap drumming and then link it to the comments! Wheeee!
Check out this video after the break that proves Lap Drumming will enhance your love life!
Also, check out my “Philosophy of Rhythm (And How Lap Drumming Helps)” post.
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Posted April 2009
That’s right, no drum set needed.
When I was young and wanted to learn to play drums, there was really no way my parents could afford a drum set, not even a cheap one. In fact, I’m not sure I ever actually asked for one, though it would have been a nice addition to my bedroom, I’m sure.
I’m not the world’s greatest drummer, in fact I know I’m probably mediocre at best when it comes to shock and awe tactics on the drums, but then again, I’ve always felt like a good drummer should be felt, not necessarily seen so I value consistency over flash any day. That means all of you double kickers and cymbal killers don’t really impress me that much.
Give me a solid 4 on the floor that keeps the band together over Animal from the Muppets any day. Though I do enjoy some good drum soloing occasionally, it’s not necessary, and in fact might even be a distraction when it comes to drumming to create environments for worship.
Is it Hard to Learn the Drums?
Not really. Playing the drums really isn’t rocket science. It just takes a bit of natural rhythm, a desire to learn, and a bit of discipline to move past the “do I hit the snare now?” to the cruise control steady rhythm machine mode that all worship leaders dream of their drummers exhibiting. The bottom line is that if you really want to learn to play the drums all you need is the tools God gave you: your hands and feet.
You don’t need a set. You don’t need a practice pad. You don’t even need sticks.
All you need is your lap.
Lap Drums?
Seriously? Yep. I play the drum occasionally on our worship team, even though I’m the point leader of the ministry and we have 2 other capable drummers at the moment. This month I’ll play several times because one of our drummers is “off” for the month and the other works every other weekend. I jump right in and don’t miss a beat (no pun intended) because I learned early how to drum without ever hitting a drum head or cymbal.
I learned how to play the drums on my lap. Here’s how you do it:
1. Sit in a chair or on the couch.
Make sure your sitting up with good posture. You don’t want to be all slumpy when you get older, do you? It’s important to sit up so that when and if you ever do get to sit on an actual drum set you won’t look like you’ve been lounging on the couch learning on your lap while watching Dr. Phil fix someone’s marriage.
2. Label your left* hand: SNARE.
You don’t literally have to break out the Sharpie, but always remember that your left hand is going to be your SNARE hand.
3. Label your right hand: HAT.
Again, make a mental note that your right hand is going to be your HI-HAT hand.
4. Label your left knee/thigh: SNARE.
For this learning exercise we’re going to keep the left hand with the left knee. When you hit the SNARE drum (your left knee/thigh) you’ll be using your left hand.
5. Label your right knee/thigh: HAT.
When you hit the HI-HAT (your right knee/thigh) you’ll be using your right hand.
6. Label your right foot: KICK.
Since you don’t have a drum set in front of you, there won’t be a kick drum, right? So you’re gonna have to improvise and stomp that KICK sound. It helps if you do this on a surface that gives you a little noise so you can hear it. Or you might just want to lift your foot a little higher and make that KICK really sound out.
* If you’re left-handed, switch the hands and feet around.
So Now Your Lap Drums Are All Set Up, What Next?
Assuming you’ve never played drums before, you’re probably going to find that even the most basic beats will require coordination between your hands and KICK foot that you didn’t know existed. Well, fret not, it’s not too hard to learn and even the most uncoordinated can usually pick this up in no time at all with a little determination, work, time, and Red Bull.
When I was a kid I started with a pretty basic pattern (beat) and grew from there.
Listen to the 3 distinct elements in this audio clip.
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- Kick: It’s the low thump that happens on 1 and 3 of each measure (count 4 beats for each measure). Right Foot.
- Snare: It’s the higher pitched crack that happens on 2 and 4 of each measure. Left Hand.
- Hi-Hat: It’s the metallic sounding cymbal that happens on every beat and on the 8th notes in between. All in all you hear it 8 times per measure (there’s 8 of them, hence the name 8th note). You count it like: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & with a hit on the numbers and the &s (for 8 hits total per measure). Right Hand.
And here’s how it looks:
Here’s what I think we should do! Even if you’re a drummer of many years or if you’re a drum noob, make a short video of yourself attempting to play your lap drums and post a link here in the comments section. Let’s create a MASS CHOIR of lap drummers. An army if you will!!!
Some videos from last year:
Actually I did have a set of drums when I was a teenager. It was nothing to brag about though and I didn’t really learn much except the basics before I sold them to a friend who wanted to play drums in our little band at the time. I feel like you don’t really start to get good at any instrument until you get with like minded people and start trying to work together to accomplish a mutual goal. Kind of like being a “Christian.” This lap drumming is kind of like reading the bible and praying in your closet.