Finger Drumming Lessons?

bluegroove

I know the basics and can play simple beats, but been trying to up my game and looking for some good lessons if anyone has any recommendations?

Currently working my way through a Melodics trial and it's nice, but $30 a month is more than a bit bonkers so I can't see myself continuing with that unfortunately as it is quite slick.

NeuM

I've never heard of anyone offering lessons on finger drumming. My advice is to try it and then keep trying it until you get it close as possible, then quantize the results.

And if a person has no natural aptitude for it, nothing says you can't simply program your patterns in a piano roll view, step-by-step. Use whatever works and you have fun doing.

Pxlhg

There's another thread regarding the Yamaha FGDPs which I think has some links to lessons for that, this one is for keyboard though

hes

Another youtube resource, this guy has a lot of info and tutorials on finger drumming:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheQuestforGroove

I think he also has online "courses" at his website, for a fee, but there's lots of free stuff, too:
https://questforgroove.com/

NeuM

@Pxlhg said:
There's another thread regarding the Yamaha FGDPs which I think has some links to lessons for that, this one is for keyboard though

Well, there it is... Good on Dom Sigalas for making that video.

Since I've been without a usable MIDI keyboard (for years now) I've had to make due with either my computer keyboard (the typing input variety) or my iPad Pro while using Logic Remote connected to desktop. Or I'll pre-record a pattern in GarageBand on iPad Pro and then import the result to desktop.

Neither are ideal, but they work.

bluegroove

@NeuM said:
I've never heard of anyone offering lessons on finger drumming. My advice is to try it and then keep trying it until you get it close as possible, then quantize the results.

And if a person has no natural aptitude for it, nothing says you can't simply program your patterns in a piano roll view, step-by-step. Use whatever works and you have fun doing.

There are quite a few actually. As with most things these days, there's an oversaturation of content, so just trying to see if others have already found the needle in the haystack to save me from slogging through them all. And thanks for the tips! I really appreciate it. I have developed decent rhythm over the years playing guitar and keys, and am serviceable at basic finger drumming, but just trying to learn some new patterns and such to up my game.

@Pxlhg thanks, I'll check that out!

bluegroove

@hes said:
Another youtube resource, this guy has a lot of info and tutorials on finger drumming:

https://www.youtube.com/@TheQuestforGroove

I think he also has online "courses" at his website, for a fee, but there's lots of free stuff, too:
https://questforgroove.com/

Nice! Much appreciated.

dblonde

as HES mentioned, Quest for Groove is the best I have seen.

michael_m

I highly recommend getting a practice pad and drumsticks. It’s amazing how learning fundamentals and practice routines with a metronome improve all percussive playing.

johnfromberkeley

@bluegroove said:
Been trying to up my game and looking for some good lessons if anyone has any recommendations?

Currently working my way through a Melodics trial and it's nice, but $30 a month is more than a bit bonkers so I can't see myself continuing with that unfortunately as it is quite slick.

I have a Finger Drumming Playlist, but, I have not updated it for years.

Also, Mad Zach’s tutorial is awesome.

I highly recommend his technique over the traditional key layout.

Finally, practice, practice. It will take you about a year to get core beats down to where you can really be improvising.

johnfromberkeley

Here is a link to the Mad Zach Midi Fighter layout. Far superior to Melodics and other layouts. More economic, and more playable

PapaBPoppin

I'm a stan for @dragonfingerdrums on YouTube

https://youtube.com/@dragonfingerdrums?si=dpJg8fKVCa5lP4M4

I follow his 4x4 layout (similar to a full kit, nothing mirrored*) and his free videos on yt just clicked for me

He's got full courses available but that's a bit outside my price range, and his free content was enough to get me going that I just watch regular drum groove and fill vids and practice em on my launchpad

Also, a second recommend for QuestForGroove - while his videos didn't directly help me in my journey, he's an excellent teacher and has great content

*zero negativity towards mirrored setups, do what works for you. The Dragon layout just completely clicked for me, so hopefully others find it useful

dblonde

As for apps which do the finger drummers recommend?

PapaBPoppin

@dblonde said:
As for apps which do the finger drummers recommend?

OneShot
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/oneshot-drum-sampler/id6651855358

Hands down

Holy shit. Didn't realize sale was so low. $13usd currently (usually $30, tho I grabbed it at intro price of $20.) Best finger drumming pack/collection on ios

[Warning: The following, unplanned and rambly, is my iOS finger drumming rabbit hole, quick synopsis of my findings in 2024 since Jan when I really dove in]

I spent months working with AudioLayer buying Drumdrop multisample kits at $20 a pop for ios finger drumming

OneShot plus SMC-Pad (budget 4x4 BTLE controller with knobs[KNOBS!] for ~$60 or less on Amazon and the like)

Jesus, under $75 to get an iPad fingerdruming setup

(Hmm just found one on aliexpress for $35. I think first time orders get $5 off too...)

now the whole thing is less than $50

From little to no info on ios drum emulation ... and i think AudioLayer was the only ios sampler at the time with Round Robin AND velocity layers (others had either/or) at the beginning of the year (coincidentally when the smc pad released in jan, I started looking)

Now not only is BTLE a viable option, the ESP32s being DIRT CHEAP make these things more accessable across the board

What a time to be into budget mobile production!

(Hey m-vave, please do a sub $100 BTLE breath controller with motion? Doesn't even need bite... unless you wanna... Please?)

PapaBPoppin

I did a video on OneShot the weekend it released, run thru the first preset pack the way I do to get an idea of what's available personality

Its done via finger drumming, but no hand cams, just screen recording. On a recent vid, I NOW have a cam for recording performance, however time is limited currently and I have LOTS to learn (as the that vid shows)

Once I get things sorted, I hope to run thru more presets

dblonde

@PapaBPoppin thank you. Yes have oneshot, so what about on screen controller (not hardware) - any favs or suggestions for that?

PapaBPoppin

Velocity Keyboard
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/velocity-keyboard/id1462605052

Closest screen controller to a physical pad due to their faux-velocity and -aftertouch concepts

Velocity uses the gyro and amount of flesh that initially hits the screen (best used with a small cushion or folded shirt underneath, rather than a flat hard surface. But can easily be used on a lap with minor practice tweaking)

The aftertouch is rather a radius ring that converts more flesh mashed on the screen [following the initial tap] to, well, whatever cc or control (defaults to aftertouch, i set a custom cc for vibrato on all my AudioModeling fiddling. Unimportant here, just noting for utility)

Also, when using the Drum template, an Edit button is in the top corner. Hit it and you can cycle thru notes per pad on the fly, reclick edit and they lock. Quickest pad setup and easiest personal layout testing I've come across (hardware or software wise)

It also has mpe control with x/y sliding and more i utilize for Swam instruments and the like

But it happens to be my favorite drum pad as well

NeuM

@PapaBPoppin said:
Velocity Keyboard
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/velocity-keyboard/id1462605052

Closest screen controller to a physical pad due to their faux-velocity and -aftertouch concepts

Velocity uses the gyro and amount of flesh that initially hits the screen (best used with a small cushion or folded shirt underneath, rather than a flat hard surface. But can easily be used on a lap with minor practice tweaking)

The aftertouch is rather a radius ring that converts more flesh mashed on the screen [following the initial tap] to, well, whatever cc or control (defaults to aftertouch, i set a custom cc for vibrato on all my AudioModeling fiddling. Unimportant here, just noting for utility)

Also, when using the Drum template, an Edit button is in the top corner. Hit it and you can cycle thru notes per pad on the fly, reclick edit and they lock. Quickest pad setup and easiest personal layout testing I've come across (hardware or software wise)

It also has mpe control with x/y sliding and more i utilize for Swam instruments and the like

But it happens to be my favorite drum pad as well

I guess that just proves that it’s possible for people to have completely different experiences with the same app. I found that Velocity Keyboard never performed well for me and I ultimately deleted it and got a refund. I’ve gotten far better results from the Logic Remote app and GarageBand’s own keyboards on iPadOS.

pedro

If you need something to transform an actual table drumming into sound, there’s no beating drambo. Remember impaktor? Well drambo is that on steroids (and a whole lot more)

musikeer

Not trying to be lame, but tapping your fingers on a table top to some good music is a fine way to start. Forget about any buttons, just get your groove going. Then once you've mastered the table, do the same thing on some buttons. Not rocket science. If you have a decent sense of time, no lessons needed.

or this

@michael_m said:
I highly recommend getting a practice pad and drumsticks. It’s amazing how learning fundamentals and practice routines with a metronome improve all percussive playing.

Poppadocrock

Digistix 2 has 5 layers and you can switch between velocity or round robin.

Definitely lot of drum learning/lesson apps out there and some are free.

bluegroove

@musikeer said:
Not trying to be lame, but tapping your fingers on a table top to some good music is a fine way to start. Forget about any buttons, just get your groove going. Then once you've mastered the table, do the same thing on some buttons. Not rocket science. If you have a decent sense of time, no lessons needed.

or this

@michael_m said:
I highly recommend getting a practice pad and drumsticks. It’s amazing how learning fundamentals and practice routines with a metronome improve all percussive playing.

Well as I said in the original post, I am not a total beginner, but just want to get better (learn new patterns & rhythms, etc.). As with anything musical, there is always benefit in learning & absorbing knowledge & techniques from those who are better and more experienced.

bluegroove

@dblonde said:
as HES mentioned, Quest for Groove is the best I have seen.

@johnfromberkeley said:

@bluegroove said:
Been trying to up my game and looking for some good lessons if anyone has any recommendations?

Currently working my way through a Melodics trial and it's nice, but $30 a month is more than a bit bonkers so I can't see myself continuing with that unfortunately as it is quite slick.

I have a Finger Drumming Playlist, but, I have not updated it for years.

Also, Mad Zach’s tutorial is awesome.

I highly recommend his technique over the traditional key layout.

Finally, practice, practice. It will take you about a year to get core beats down to where you can really be improvising.

@PapaBPoppin said:
I'm a stan for @dragonfingerdrums on YouTube

https://youtube.com/@dragonfingerdrums?si=dpJg8fKVCa5lP4M4

I follow his 4x4 layout (similar to a full kit, nothing mirrored*) and his free videos on yt just clicked for me

He's got full courses available but that's a bit outside my price range, and his free content was enough to get me going that I just watch regular drum groove and fill vids and practice em on my launchpad

Also, a second recommend for QuestForGroove - while his videos didn't directly help me in my journey, he's an excellent teacher and has great content

*zero negativity towards mirrored setups, do what works for you. The Dragon layout just completely clicked for me, so hopefully others find it useful

@Poppadocrock said:
Digistix 2 has 5 layers and you can switch between velocity or round robin.

Definitely lot of drum learning/lesson apps out there and some are free.

@pedro said:
If you need something to transform an actual table drumming into sound, there’s no beating drambo. Remember impaktor? Well drambo is that on steroids (and a whole lot more)

Really appreciate all the input and recommendations. I'm working my way through checking everything out. You all are the best.