[2026] Practice Songs for Beginner Drummers: Easy and Cool Recommendations
Many people who have just started playing the drums may be wondering which songs they should practice first.
If you don’t know how difficult the song you’re trying to tackle is, it’s hard to make steady progress.
So in this article, we’re introducing songs recommended for beginners who have just taken up the drums—tracks that will help you step up your skills.
We’ve picked a wide range, from the latest hits to timeless classics.
Of course, improvement comes from steady practice and developing your feel and technique, but we’ve also included “I tried playing” videos arranged for beginners, so be sure to use them as a reference!
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[2026] Practice songs for drum beginners: Easy and cool recommended tracks (61–70)
Girl SSCANDAL
SCANDAL’s “Shōjo S” is a classic song that beginner bands often perform at school festivals.
Despite its mid-tempo pace, the powerful rock sound is striking and really cool! In this track, the key is not the basic 8-beat with the snare on beats 2 and 4, but the phrase that adds fine notes called ghost notes in between.
If you can’t play them cleanly, it’s okay to leave them out, but once you learn them, you can apply the technique to any song.
It’s an essential skill for creating a sense of drive and groove, so take this opportunity to master it!
Do Paprikas Dream of Posthumanity?uso to kamereon
Despite gaining attention for their eccentric songs and each member’s high level of musicianship, the five-piece rock band Uso to Chameleon announced a hiatus in 2022.
The song Paprika wa Posthuman no Yume o Miru ka, which opens their second mini-album Posthuman No.5, was used as the ending theme for the variety show God Tongue.
The track proceeds in an 8-beat throughout, but since the tempo is fast, be sure to keep each note articulate, such as with tight snare rolls.
There aren’t any particularly difficult technical sections, so practice so the band can lock in tightly together.
SMOKE ON THE WATERDeep Purple
A classic of Western hard rock, Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water.” It’s a staple practice piece for beginner rock guitarists, but it’s also packed with drum phrases perfect for practice—like the crisp hi-hat cymbals marked in sixteenth notes in the intro.
Once you can play it, it comes in handy in all sorts of situations, so it’s definitely a song worth learning.
loveHoshino Gen
This song, which became the theme for the drama “We Married as a Job” and sparked a social phenomenon as the ‘Koi Dance,’ is one of Gen Hoshino’s signature tracks! It’s got a pretty upbeat groove, so beginner drummers might find it a bit fast.
However, since it’s mainly a basic 8-beat and doesn’t feature too many fills, it’s a relatively approachable choice.
On the other hand, songs with such simple arrangements tend to speed up or slow down easily, so it’s a good idea to focus on keeping a steady tempo while you play!
The Theory of HappinessShiina Ringo
One of the signature solo songs by Ringo Sheena, whose popularity is so high she could be called the queen of the J-rock scene.
The tempo isn’t too fast, making it comfortable to play.
In addition to the basic 8-beat, this song’s distinctive groove features a four-on-the-floor snare pattern.
In a standard 8-beat, the snare falls on beats 2 and 4, but in the beat used in the intro and the first verse’s A section, the snare marks each quarter note, with the bass drum filling the spaces between.
This is also a fundamental rock beat, so it’ll be useful as a reference when you play other songs in the future.
Let’s keep learning to play a variety of beats by copying different tracks like this!
blue skyTHE BLUE HEARTS
Songs by THE BLUE HEARTS are often recommended for beginners.
It’s true that many of their tracks have simple beats, but the tempos are so fast that a lot of them can be tough for novice drummers.
So how about this slow-tempo ballad instead? It mainly uses a very simple 8-beat, so as long as you can play an 8-beat, you should be able to put it together quickly! The performance is simple, but precisely because it’s simple, make sure you don’t lose track of the song’s structure and can play proper fill-ins at the transitions between sections.
Ah, geez.Saucy Dog
Overcoming hardships such as all members leaving the band, Saucy Dog—a three-piece rock band that successfully held their first Nippon Budokan concert in 2021—released this as their 10th major-label single.
Chosen as the theme song for the TELASA special drama “Dekinai Futari,” it’s a rock tune with a refreshing melody and airy arrangement that feels great to listen to.
The tempo is relaxed, which might make it sound easy, but there are many accents—such as displaced breaks and snare hits—so care is needed to avoid playing it flat.
Since it doesn’t require difficult techniques, it’s recommended for beginner drummers as well.
In a band setting, be sure to listen closely to the other parts while you play.