Hey guys,
Im a beginning drummer and using Ted Reed’s Syncopation but I cant seem to get my snare and bass drum together when I hit at same time, or try to:) They are off.  Any suggestions? Is it necessary that they be perfectly aligned?

Great question! It’s very important to be able to strike two or more parts or the drum kit at the precisely the same time (including snare and bass drum), and the only way to gain that ability is by practicing it until you can execute it without a great effort. But you need to keep in mind that there is a rudiment called a “flam,” in which the player intentionally plays two strokes at slightly different moments — one right after the other. You can watch a video about playing flams by clicking here.

It’s important to be able to play whatever you want at any given moment. Most drummers feel that the art of drumming is an ongoing learning experience. A drummer should never reach a point where he or she feels that there is nothing more to learn, because there are always new techniques, or styles, or sounds you can incorporate into your playing, which will make you a better drummer.

Best of luck!

Thanks Andy..I recently found the fulcrum on the stick where I can bounce rather than drum, to quote Igoe…I imagine a little harder on the bass pedal:)  Ive noticed my foot is mostly at a different angle everytime I hit bass pedal.  Like you said I just need to practice, hell I found Im not even coordinated with the metronome let alone snare and bass pedal at same time.  Interesting though I seem to have better coordination doing a rock beat rather than LRLR on snare and bass pedal.