Recommended practice songs for intermediate drummers: a collection of tracks to develop expressiveness and performance skills
Playing the drums gets really fun once you can hit a certain level, doesn’t it? Still, many people probably struggle—tripping up on songs with difficult phrases, or finding it hard to express groove and match the feel of the song even with simple patterns.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended practice songs for those who’ve just moved beyond the beginner stage or are aiming to level up further.
We’ve picked plenty of recent popular tracks too, so feel free to use this as a guide when choosing your practice songs.
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Recommended practice songs for intermediate drummers: A collection of tracks to develop expressiveness and performance skills (61–70)
Call Me When You’re SoberEvanescence
Evanescence is a world-renowned rock band and a Grammy Award winner.
“Call Me When You’re Sober” is one of their signature songs and is also popular among drummers.
It’s a powerful track with a heavy sound, so try playing with an emphasis on really making your instrument resonate.
If you just hit with brute force, the sound won’t project well, so focus on increasing your stick speed.
8filmsuchuu konbini
Uchu Conbini is a three-piece band that has won fans with their distinctive, post-rock-based sound and exceptional musicianship.
“8films,” included on their first mini-album Confirm the Sound as It Colors, is an instrumental track with enough impact to captivate listeners even without vocals.
Its post-rock-style odd meters and the delicate drumming that colors the song would likely give even intermediate drummers a hard time.
On the other hand, it’s a high-level piece that’s sure to earn you respect if you can perfect the band ensemble, so be sure to discuss it with your bandmates and give it a try.
Cherry on the beakEGO-WRAPPIN’
Shuffle beats can trouble drummers who’ve gotten a bit comfortable with the kit—how about using this track to overcome them? The tempo is fast and the difficulty is fairly high, but once you master it, I think you’ll conquer those tricky shuffle beats too.
avocadoyonige
This song, which was yonige’s breakthrough hit, is a bit fast in tempo, but it’s still a great recommendation for beginner drummers.
That’s because it basically progresses around a dance beat! In addition to a basic hi-hat beat, it also features a dance beat that uses the ride’s cup, so mastering that will be useful in the future.
There are 8-beat sections and fills that appear in the latter half, but with repeated practice and getting used to it, you’ll be able to play them!
The TrooperIron Maiden
As a metal track that’s relatively approachable even for beginner drummers, I’d recommend this song.
In this kind of genre, it’s crucial to keep laying down a steady groove throughout.
In a way, why not treat it as strength training for your timekeeping?
PretenderOfisharu Higedan Dism
This is the second single by the piano pop band Official HIGE DANDism, written as the theme song for the film “The Confidence Man JP: The Movie.” It’s the track that introduced the already-buzzed-about band to a broader audience and became a massive hit that dominated the J-pop scene from 2019 to 2020.
The drum performance, such as the 16-beat hi-hat heard in the intro and chorus and the tight rhythm patterns in the pre-chorus that lock in with the other parts, complements the melody and ensemble to add depth to the song.
With its carefully crafted arrangement that enhances the piece as a whole, it’s a number that lets you take one more step into the fun of drumming.
Before the Dawnpasupie
PASSEPIED is a four-piece rock band that has drawn attention with songs that elevate Impressionist classical music into pop rock with a band sound.
Their sixth single, Yoakemae, is particularly striking for its opening with a somewhat oriental melody.
Complex beat patterns and tightly coordinated hits with other parts are scattered throughout the piece, demanding a performance that never lets its guard down.
While each part asserts its presence, the ensemble remains cohesive, so be careful not to shift the rhythm or tempo as you play.