Recommended songs for beginner band members by instrument
“I just started learning an instrument but already formed a band” or “We’re all beginners, but we want to start a band and play live!!” If that sounds like you, a budding band member— You’re probably thinking, “I have no idea where to start…” Of course, basic practice is important, but in the beginning, practicing songs is also recommended.
So in this article, we’ll introduce beginner-friendly songs for each instrument! Read this with your bandmates and use it to help you pick your setlist!
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Drums (1–10)
horizonback number
This is a track centered around an eighth-note beat, with a variety of striking fills.
The entire song is built on straight eighths and their variations, so if you’re just playing the basic groove, even beginner drummers should be able to handle it without too much trouble.
However, the key elements of this song are the fills that appear at crucial moments.
Even at a relaxed tempo, you’ll encounter various phrases combining sixteenth notes, and if you don’t carefully sort them out and understand each phrase, they can easily get tangled.
Before playing along to the track, it’s important to study the notation and get a grasp of each phrase.
You’ll also come across note values you may not have seen much before, such as sextuplets, sixteenth-note triplets, and thirty-second notes.
Since unfamiliar note values can be tricky to play, listen to the original recording and train your body to internalize them.
Maplesupittsu
Since this song is built around a basic 8-beat pattern, it’s a great recommendation for beginners.
The 8-beat used here is very fundamental, but there’s a ghost note placed on the fourth sixteenth note.
A ghost note is a note played much more softly than usual, intended to add groove to the beat.
Once you can do this naturally, the beat will sound really compelling and cool.
Another key point is the fill right before the chorus: there’s a crash cymbal on the fourth sixteenth note of beat 4.
This phrase is super handy for carrying momentum into the next section with a sense of drive.
If you learn it now, you’ll definitely be able to use it in other songs as well.
A flower called “you”ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
If you’re thinking, “I can already play the 8-beat, so I want to move on to the next step!”, this song—featuring offbeat hi-hat and ride cymbal patterns—is highly recommended.
The groove used here is also known as a dance beat, and it’s one you often hear in Japanese rock band tracks.
It’s very catchy and satisfying to listen to, and once you master the sticking, you’ll find it’s surprisingly easy to play.
If you often perform Japanese rock, this is a groove you’ll use a lot, so definitely add it to your toolkit.
In this dance beat, the A and B sections use open and closed hi-hats, while the chorus features the ride cymbal cup.
At first, it may feel tricky to get crisp open/close hi-hat articulations or to make the ride cup sing cleanly, so try various approaches to your touch and technique.
In particular, the ride cymbal cup really shines at transitions and when worked into fills—perfect for those key moments—so take this opportunity to master it!
Ms. SeptemberRADWIMPS
For beginners who want to try a RADWIMPS song, “September-san” is highly recommended.
It has a relatively slow tempo and mostly simple beats, making it easy to tackle.
However, there are two major points to watch out for.
The first is to memorize the song’s structure.
The beats themselves are simple, but similar-sounding phrases switch frequently—intro, verse A, verse B, interlude, and so on.
There are also several breaks, so make sure you know exactly what to play, how, and when.
The second point is the tom fill that appears near the end of the track.
After a repeated phrase with crash cymbals and toms, it develops into a pattern that brings in the bass drum and snare as well.
It’s not just that the sticking is a bit tricky—you may also find it hard to make it sound “cool.” Keep practicing repeatedly until you really make the phrase your own.
A bouquet of flowers with loveSuperfly
This song moves along at a relaxed tempo, making it easy to play, yet it’s packed with a wide variety of beats and phrases—perfect for beginners looking to step up.
Throughout the track, the basic groove is an 8-beat pattern with hi-hats, and thanks to the laid-back tempo, it’s approachable for newcomers—that’s the first key point.
The second is the range of grooves that appear: variations that increase the number of snare hits within the basic 8-beat, beats that use offbeat hi-hat accents, and even patterns that mark eighth notes on the floor tom.
Plus, at the transitions between sections, you’ll find fills that make use of hand-and-foot combinations.
Practicing just this one song exposes you to a lot of different beats and phrases! And to repeat, because the original track’s tempo is relaxed, you can carefully and thoroughly practice each beat and phrase while working on the song itself, which is great.
Marigoldaimyon
When it comes to drum practice, we tend to pick rock tunes, but there are plenty of hit pop songs that are great for practicing too.
For example, Aimyon’s 2018 love song “Marigold.” From the perfectly timed open hi-hat hits in the A section to the fills that don’t disrupt the song’s gentle vibe, it’s a track with lots to appreciate from a drummer’s perspective.
lilacMrs. GREEN APPLE
This is the perfect song for anyone who wants to improve their drumming by practicing a single track.
It’s up-tempo, features a wide variety of beats, and offers plenty of challenge.
Listen carefully to the intro, verse A, verse B, chorus, interlude, and bridge to identify what kind of beat is being played in each section, and master them one by one.
There are also phrases where the snare and toms alternate in 16th notes over multiple measures, and some of those sections even switch to irregular time signatures—so there are plenty of tough spots.
That said, it’s definitely doable.
Start by understanding the phrases and the song structure, then gradually bring the tempo up from slow practice toward the original tempo.
Take your time with it, aim to break out of the beginner stage, and stick with it.