[Jared Falk]

Everyday I get 10 - 30 emails from drummers around the world who have questions regarding learning the drums, drum gear, or our websites. This thread was created in order to answer all those questions. There are personal, technical, and website related questions below. If you would like a question to be answered by me, you can post it here. I cannot guarantee I will answer or include all the questions as there may be quite a few

You are welcome to continue emailing me all your drumming related questions (jared (at) railroadmedia.com). However, you may be sent a link to this thread with your question included in the text below. If not, I will respond directly

More information will be added this post on a regular basis - Please check back frequently for updates.


Personal - About Jared Falk

What type of sticks do you use?

I am actually in the process of finalizing my Pro-Mark drumstick endorsement. More details will follow...

What type of drum set do you play?

Currently, I have a few different kits that a play regularly.

The first is a 6 piece DW Exotic Mapa Burl. The sizes are 10", 12", 13", 14", 16", and 18" toms. It has 22" and 26" kick drums. The snare drum sizes are 5.5"x 14" and 7" x 14".

Here is a video where I talk more about this kit:

http://www.youtube.com/v/uh3EaTiPoaQ

The next kit is a Yamaha Recording Custom in British Racing Green. The sizes are 12", 13", and 16" toms. It has a 22" kick drum and 14" snare.

The next kit is a Yamaha Hip-Gig Al Foster set. The sizes are 12" and 14" toms. It has an 18" kick drum and 13" snare drum.

Another kit I have is a Yamaha Recording Custom 25th Anniversary kit in Tobacco Burst finish. The sizes are 8", 10", 12", and 14" toms. It has a 22" bass drum.

The final kit is a late 60s Pearl drum kit that was the first kit I started on. My grandparents bought it for my Dad and Aunt when they were just kids, then it was passed down to me The sizes are 12" and 14" toms. It has a 20" kick drum and 14" snare.

What type of bass drum pedals do you use and recommend?

Tama Speed Cobra Double Pedal

What type of drumheads do you use and recommend?

http://www.youtube.com/v/V83jhSk0tYs

Which is my favorite drum set to play?

For me, of all my kits to play I like playing the DW exotic. This was one of my dream kits which I was able to get off of eBay a couple of years ago. Not only does it sounds great, it looks amazing When you compare higher end sets, most of them sound really good, it' just a personal preference as to the specific sound you're looking for, and the specific look.

What type of cymbals do you use?

Here is a video outlining my current cymbal setup:

http://www.youtube.com/v/rTx-cgXY6p4

How old are you?

My birthday is December 3, 1981.

How long have you been playing drums?

I started playing drums when I was 15 years old.


Technical - Drum Lessons, Drum Gear, and Resources

What type of drum set do you recommend?

The type of drum set I recommend is largely determined by the size of your budget, and the level of your experience on the drums. If you are just starting and have a small budget I would recommend getting something inexpensive while you're first learning. A good inexpensive drum set can be found on various sites on the internet and at local shops. Here are a few of my recommends:

www.MusiciansFriend.com (Online)

Guitar Center (Store - US)
Long & Mcquade (Store - Canada)

If you have more experience and are looking for a mid level to high end kit here are some tips.

Tip #1 - Try before you buy! You may see a lot of cool pictures and videos online, but you will not know your true feelings about a kit until you sit down and try it. If you find a kit that looks nice online, then go to the music store and try it. If you like it, then you can do your price searching and find the best price for yourself.

Tip #2 - Don't be afraid to talk to the drum shop guys. The people in the music stores are generally knowledgeable and can answer any questions you may have about your next drum purchase.

Tip #3 - Take your time. Do not rush into this purchase, make sure you get exactly what you want.

Tip #4 - Read online reviews. There are 1000s of other drummers who have bought/sold drum sets. Many of these drummers have posted their reviews online. For example, if I was looking to buy a Yamaha Maple Custom Kit, I would search Google for "yamaha maple custom drum set reviews." Many online websites actually post reviews/testimonials of the products themselves.

How do you read sheet music?

Please refer to these tutorials on the Free Drum Lessons website:

Drum Theory & Notation

Can you teach me the heel-toe technique?

I teach the heel-toe technique on a DVD called Bass Drum Secrets. You can buy it at the Drum Shop, or check out the website at:

www.BassDrumSecrets.com

What type of drum pedals do you recommend?

Finding the right set of drum pedals can be crucial to the development of your foot technique. I would recommend going to your local music store and trying out different pedals until you find the ones that feel most comfortable. For myself, I always recommend the Yamaha Flying Dragons, double or single pedal; the Tama Iron Cobras, Tama Speed Cobra or any of the Axis pedals.

The next choice is to go chain drive, direct drive, or strap drive. I always recommend chain or direct drive. To achieve maximum speeds on your pedals, I would recommend direct drive. Axis and Yamaha both make excellent direct drive pedals. Personally, I haven't played many strap drive pedals so I am not sure on the pros and cons.

Search online for more information on any of these pedals. There are hundreds of pictures, videos and reviews where you will be able to learn more.

FreeDrumLessons.com Questions

What type of drum set is used in the FDL videos?

In the FreeDrumLessons.com videos we used the following kit:

Yamaha Maple Custom Nouveau. The tom sizes were 10", 12", and 16". We used a 14" snare drum and 22" bass drum. Yamaha was gracious enough to lend us this kit for the videos.

What type of cymbals are used in the FDL videos?

In the FreeDrumLessons.com videos we used the following cymbals:

17" HHX Sabian Crash
16" HHX Sabian Crash
14" HHX Sabian Hi-hats
20" HHX Sabian Ride

Sabian sent us the cymbals to use for the shoot.

What type of drumheads are used in the videos?

We used Evans G2 coated on all the toms. There was an EQ3 on the bass drum. On the reso bass drum side we got a custom bass drum head made from Vintage Logos. On the snare drum we used an Evans ST snare drum head. On the bottom of the toms were the factory Yamaha reso heads.

How do you write your own sheet music?

We write all of our sheet music in Finale 2007.

Why do you give away all these lessons for free?

We give away these lessons as a sample of our teaching style and methods. Before FreeDrumLessons.com, we just published and sold all of our training material. In an effort to say "thanks" to all of our DVD based students, we created this massive support site. Now, students who are just getting into drumming can try out our lessons to see if they like it. A large number of students will choose to further their drumming by purchasing one or several of our training packages from our drum shop. Railroad Media is truly thankful for the support of the drumming community.

Also, check out the About Free Drum Lessons Section.

How do I access previous Secret Lessons?

It is up to you to save the linked locations of all the Secret Lessons. From time to time, the locations of the Secret Lessons will change, after all, they are suppose to be secrets shhhh

Can I download the Secret Lessons?

No, Secret Lessons can only be watched by streaming videos online.

[drumchic64]

..This is some great info Jared..Thankyou! Sorry I didn't post earlier..Though it was more like the FAQ thread..

I know I always wondered about the kit in the lesson videos too..Must have seen that question asked 10-15 times or more..Very Cool you recieved the help from Sabian and Yamaha for the Videos..Glad to see you Zildjian.

I do have a question when you get a chance, well actually I have alot..But this one should be quick for you..

Out of all the kits that you have listed above..Professionally, which one do you prefer to play and why?

P.S. Thats the neatest thing about the pearl kit getting passed down to you and that it's a family thing

[drumgeezer]

Thanks for this post. There's always a lot of interest in the kits used in the lessons.

[mgiddings]

tyanks jared that helped

[Jared Falk]

drumchic64, on Dec 4 2008, 08:30 PM, said:

Out of all the kits that you have listed above..Professionally, which one do you prefer to play and why?

Thanks for your comments I added your question to the post above.

[Charles]

Omg, belated happy b-day Jared! I started this year and I'm 15 just like you were, I thought that was too old to get really good. I expected you too have started when you were like 3 lol! Congratz on the 27 years

[gcool137]

Hey Jared...
Just wondering,
Would you recommend a yamaha recording custom drum set to an intermediate drummer??
I am looking for a new kit. I love how the maple custom sounds in your videos but its way out of my price range.
thanks

[Jared Falk]

gcool137, on Dec 5 2008, 02:48 PM, said:

Hey Jared...
Just wondering,
Would you recommend a yamaha recording custom drum set to an intermediate drummer??
I am looking for a new kit. I love how the maple custom sounds in your videos but its way out of my price range.
thanks

It depends on your budget. I always recommend getting the best kit you can buy for the amount of money you have.

So, what is your budget? You can find some great deals on eBay on Maple Custom kits and Recording Customs.

[drumchic64]

Jared Falk, on Dec 5 2008, 02:30 PM, said:

Thanks for your comments I added your question to the post above.

Oh, My pleasure Jared.
Here's another question for you, again when you get a chance.

You mention that you were 15 when you started..When or how did you realize that you wanted to take your talent to the level that you have? Was it a progress, since it's in your family, Or was it something you had a passion for all along OR did you just make your mind up one day and decided to go for it?

Thank you ..Just wondering how it all happened for you. Love to hear about success stories..

This post has been edited by drumchic64: 05 December 2008 - 04:07 PM

[Jared Falk]

drumchic64, on Dec 5 2008, 03:37 PM, said:

Oh, My pleasure Jared.
Here's another question for you, again when you get a chance.

You mention that you were 15 when you started..When or how did you realize that you wanted to take your talent to the level that you have? Was it a progress, since it's in your family, Or was it something you had a passion for all along OR did you just make your mind up one day and decided to go for it?

Thank you ..Just wondering how it all happened for you. Love to hear about success stories..

It wasn't really a conscious decision to practice hard. It just kind of happened that way. The area I am in was short of drummers at the time so I got asked to play a lot, so that kinda forced me to make sure I could take all the gigs. One summer I tried to play every day either at a gig or practicing on my own...I think I missed a few days. If you really want to take your drummer up a notch I recommend getting out there and playing gigs. There is nothing that can improve your drumming more.

Music is somewhat in my family. Here is my family group: Aida That's me, my sister, and my brother. We don't play much anymore but it was fun while it lasted

[drumchic64]

Thanks Jared..It's funny how things can work out..as for the gigs, I'll have to work on that..But I know the few times I have jammed with others it has helped tremendously..
Your familys group is fantastic! Thanks for the link..I'm ordering the CD.

As a drummer, do you get to a point where you have mastered everything as far as techinique, or do you continue to grow and evolve? And if so how?

This post has been edited by drumchic64: 06 December 2008 - 07:06 AM

[Dealas]

"An Evening With Jared Falk", by DC64.

[drumchic64]

Dealas, on Dec 6 2008, 01:47 PM, said:

"An Evening With Jared Falk", by DC64.

Yeah, He's a busy man, need to get the questions in while I can..

[Sticktrix]

drumchic64, on Dec 6 2008, 01:53 PM, said:

Yeah, He's a busy man, need to get the questions in while I can..

Can't wait to see you on air

[drumchic64]

Sticktrix, on Dec 8 2008, 09:23 AM, said:

Can't wait to see you on air

[Jared Falk]

drumchic64, on Dec 6 2008, 06:34 AM, said:

Thanks Jared..It's funny how things can work out..as for the gigs, I'll have to work on that..But I know the few times I have jammed with others it has helped tremendously..
Your familys group is fantastic! Thanks for the link..I'm ordering the CD.

As a drummer, do you get to a point where you have mastered everything as far as techinique, or do you continue to grow and evolve? And if so how?

Thanks! I am glad you like the band stuff.

As a drummer, you NEVER finish learning. There is always more. Sometimes, I'll go through a phase where I just love practicing double bass, then I'll go through a jazz phase and a technique phase. It also changes depending on what sort of gigs I am playing. Now I am playing with a top 40 cover band so I gotta learn a bunch of songs so that's been my focus lately.

[Sticktrix]

Hey Jared I have a question....what exactly is a drum? Just kidding.

What courses did you study during high school? Did you have a profession in mind, besides being a drummer?

[drummandude]

I am just wondering; what product from Finale do you use. I just got a member ship and i am looking for a product to use to re-write a song. Thanks

[Prog70]

Can we ask questions
to a specific Drum teacher
on FDL ?

I know for you but what
about Mike and the others ?

[Poco Askew]

Prog70, on Dec 11 2008, 09:54 AM, said:

Can we ask questions
to a specific Drum teacher
on FDL ?

I know for you but what
about Mike and the others ?

You could try within their topics/lessons, but other than Jared, they do not log much time on the forum.