Beginner Drummer Practise Plan: Where to Start
- Rob Bishop
- 1 day ago
- 7 min read
Rob bishop | robbishopdrums.com
Quick Answer
The best beginner drummer practise plan starts before you even pick up a stick.
count out loud first to lock your brain into the pulse - this is essential. Then build the groove in layers: hi-hat only, add snare on 2 and 4, add kick on 1 and 3. Once it feels steady, put on a real song and play along. That is your first session sorted.
Most beginner drummers don’t have a motivation problem, they have a direction problem. You sit down at the kit and think, ''what am I actually supposed to be doing right now?'' So you play a bit of this, bash through a bit of that, and 20 minutes later you’re not sure if you’ve made any progress at all - but your mum has enjoyed it.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not the problem. You just don’t have a clear path yet.
The beginner drummer practise plan, is exactly where to start, the same process I use with every single beginner student from their very first lesson.
# Before You Play a Single Note
Two things need to be right before anything else happens.
Your seat height
This gets overlooked constantly but it matters more than most people realise. If your stool is too low, your knees will be above your hips and your bass drum control will suffer before you’ve even started. Too high and you’ll feel unstable.
A rough guide: sit at the kit so your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor or angled very slightly downward. You should feel balanced and relaxed — not perched, but not too low either.
How you hold the sticks
Don’t grip to tight. The sound that you produce on the kit from the drums to your cymbals will be directly related to how you hold your sticks. Think relaxed, hold the stick between your thumb and index finger about a third of the way up from the butt end. Let the other fingers wrap around naturally and loosely. Don't over-think this, there's plenty of stuff on the internet that will have you disecting your grip for years, as long as you're not in pain, cramping, or it's generally uncomfortable - you can hold the sticks in almost any way that's comfortable to you.
The stick is an extension on your hand, your job is to guide it, not force it.
Relaxed hands produce relaxed playing. Tense hands produce tense playing. It’s that simple.
# The First Thing You Actually Practise — And It Might Surprise You
Here’s something that surprises almost every new student.
The first thing we do isn’t playing drums.
It’s counting out loud.
Before you touch a single drum or pick up a stick, I get every beginner to count out loud for a few bars.
“1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and”
Out loud. Clearly. Feeling the pulse.
Why? Because everything in drumming, every beat, every groove, every pattern, is built on your relationship with time. Before sticks go in your hands, I want your voice locked into that pulse. Counting out loud is what I call the 5th limb. It directly connects your brain to the beat in a way that nothing else does.
Don’t skip this. It feels basic. It’s not.
# Building the Groove — One Piece at a Time
Once the counting feels natural, we build the first groove in layers. Here’s exactly how:
Step 1: Hi-hat only — still counting out loud
Pick up your sticks and play steady 8th notes on the hi-hat. Nothing else. Keep counting out loud while you play.
“1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and” — one hi-hat note on every syllable.
Focus on even spacing and consistent volume. Don’t rush. Don’t think about anything else yet.
Step 2: Add the snare
Keep the hi-hat going. Now add the snare drum on beats 2 and 4 — the “2” and the “4” in your count.
Keep counting out loud. Keep the hi-hat steady.
At this point you have two limbs working together. It might feel like a lot. That’s normal. Slow down if you need to — there’s no minimum speed here, only consistency.
Step 3: Add the bass drum
Now add the bass drum on beats 1 and 3 — the “1” and the “3” in your count.
You now have the basic groove. Three limbs, counting out loud, steady pulse.
This is the foundation of almost everything you’ll ever play on a drum kit. Spend time here. Get it solid. Get it relaxed.
# Now Put It to Music — As Soon As Possible
Here’s the core of how I teach, and it’s what separates this approach from a lot of traditional drum instruction:
I get students playing to real music as fast as possible.
Of course technique matters, but music is where the art lives. Drumming isn’t just keeping time in isolation. It’s conversing with music. It’s understanding your role within a song and making decisions in the moment based on what you’re hearing.
Check out the Billie Jean Lesson I put together..
So.. The sooner you’re playing alongside real music, the sooner you start developing that instinct. And that instinct, that musical intelligence — is ultimately what being a good drummer is about.
So once the basic groove is feeling reasonably solid, we put on Billie Jean.
# Why Billie Jean?
Because it’s the perfect first song.
The pattern is accessible enough that a beginner can focus on feel rather than just survival. The bass line gives you something to lock into. The groove has a natural pulse that either you’re riding or you’re fighting — and you’ll know immediately which one it is.
When you first play along to the track, it will probably fall apart. The track won’t stop for you. It won’t slow down or adjust around where you are. That can feel like panic.
That’s completely normal. And it’s actually the point.
When it falls apart, just stop playing. Don’t stop the track. Let it keep running and just count along out loud with the music. Listen to the snare on 2 and 4. Listen to the bass drum on 1 and 3. Find your place. Then start again.
Repeat that process as many times as it takes. Every time you find your way back into the groove, you’re building something real.
# What to Focus On Each Practice Session
Once you’ve got the basic groove and you’re starting to play along to Billie Jean, here’s what your practice time should actually look like:
Timing and consistency first — always
Before anything else, ask: is my groove steady? Is my hi-hat even? Am I rushing anywhere? Record yourself occasionally and listen back honestly. Timing is everything. Without it, nothing else works.
Dynamics second
Is your hi-hat too loud? Is your snare cutting through clearly? Good drumming isn’t just about what you play — it’s about how each limb sounds relative to everything else. Start paying attention to volume and touch early.
Play along to music regularly
Don’t just practise in isolation. Play with songs. Start simple — Billie Jean, Another One Bites the Dust — and build from there. This is where your musical instincts develop.
Keep it simple for longer than feels comfortable
The temptation is always to move on before you’re ready. To learn the next beat, the next fill, the next song. Resist it. Mastering simple things properly is what builds a foundation that holds up. Rushing ahead before the basics are solid just creates gaps you’ll have to go back and fix later.
# The Philosophy Behind All of This
I want to share something that underpins everything I teach.
Good drumming isn’t about technical perfection. It isn’t about speed or complexity or how many rudiments you know.
It’s about conversing intellectually with music.
Understanding your role as a drummer. Making musical decisions in the moment. Reacting to what you’re hearing and responding to it in a way that serves the song.
That might sound abstract when you’re still figuring out how to hold your sticks. But it’s worth knowing from day one, because it shapes how you practise, what you listen for, and how you think about what you’re doing every time you sit down at the kit.
You’re not just keeping time. You’re having a conversation.
# Want the Full Beginner Plan?
If you want a structured and clear path, not just a starting point but a full step-by-step system — The Beginner Drum Course is built exactly for this. From your first groove to playing real songs with confidence. Start The Beginner Drum Course - £97
Or grab the Free Drum Starter Pack to get started today at no cost.
Here’s what’s inside:
- Full Billie Jean video breakdown — the first groove every beginner should learn
- Full Grade 1 song breakdown — Another One Bites the Dust, step by step
- 5 Essential Grooves every drummer needs to know (PDF)
- 5 Mistakes Beginners Make — and how to fix them
It’s free. And it gives you the structure this blog is talking about.
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Where are you at in your drumming journey? Drop a comment — whether you’re picking up sticks for the first time or coming back after a break, I’d love to know.
FAQ Section:
What should a beginner drummer practise first?
Start with counting out loud before you even pick up your sticks — this connects your brain to the pulse before anything else happens. Then build the basic groove in layers: hi-hat first, then add the snare on 2 and 4, then the bass drum on 1 and 3.
How long should beginner drum practice sessions be?
15 to 20 minutes of focused practice is plenty, especially early on. Consistency matters far more than duration. Short daily sessions beat one long session at the weekend every time.
What is the best first song to learn on drums?
Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. The pattern is accessible enough that you can focus on feel and groove rather than just surviving the coordination. It also teaches you timing, dynamics, and how to lock in with a real track — all at once.
How do I know if I’m making progress on drums?
Record yourself regularly and listen back honestly. Progress often feels invisible from the inside but becomes obvious on playback. Notice small wins — a steadier hi-hat, a fill that finally felt relaxed, a full minute without drifting. Those are the real signs.
Should beginner drummers learn fills straight away?
Not before the basic groove is solid. Fills are built on top of your foundation — if the groove wobbles, the fills will too. Spend more time on your basic beat than feels comfortable. Mastering simple things properly is what builds a foundation that holds up everything else.
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