Understanding Music
By now you should have a good basic understanding of how rhythm works, how beats can be subdivided and how different drum parts work.
However, just as other instrumentalists often neglect their rhythm skills, many drummers also neglect developing an understanding of the other aspects of music such as melody, (e.g., vocals or lead guitar) and harmony, e.g., (keyboard or rhythm guitar). If you have a basic understanding of these subjects you can contribute much more to band arrangements and songwriting. In fact, it is strongly recommended that you learn at least a bit of general music by taking up bass, guitar or keyboards. Ask the other musicians you play with about what they are doing and get them to show you a few things. Of course, the drums will still be your main instrument, but drummers who understand music well are always popular and usually get lots of work. Lets look at the musical tools used to create melody and harmony.
