Basic techniques

Quite often I get a message from an aspiring finger drummer who tells me he/she is afraid of spending time learning the basic techniques the Quest for Groove teaches, only to figure out later that there are other, better techniques out there. They tell me they don't want to 'bet on the wrong horse' so to speak and waste their time.

I always tell them not to worry and that the basic finger drumming techniques you learn here are always a good foundation to start with. You can compare it with learning how to walk and learning how to ride a bike. Was it a waste of time to learn how to walk if you learned how to ride a bike afterwards? Of course not. As long as you learned how to walk and bike correctly and safely. They complement each other and you can use both modes of transportation whenever you see fit.

In the case of finger drumming, on this website we'll start out by teaching you a method that's intuitive and makes it possible for you to churn out real, musical grooves pretty much from the get go. I call this the 'alternating hands method' and it's a great way to start. Later on in the process you will be introduced to other ways of playing that each serve their purpose.

Becoming a good player on your instrument involves learning multiple ways to approach your instrument and using the appropriate method at the appropriate time. On this page, besides the obvious links to the beginner courses that will teach you the basics, you'll also find a couple of interesting resources talking about the different methods of playing that can be used to churn out awesome, groovy beats.