Drum Solo Career [DSCI]

Learn how to play drums in Rock Band, from holding the sticks and using the bass pedal to activating Overdrive. Master the Drum Solo Career with our expert tips.

The Drums are a new instrument in Rock Band, offering a fun and engaging way to play. While it may take some getting used to, mastering the drums can be as enjoyable, if not more so, than playing Guitar.

How To Play:

Holding the Sticks: Hold the drumsticks lightly, about halfway up. Grip them loosely between your pointer finger and thumb, with your middle finger providing support for quick bounces. Aim to use alternate hands for long strings of notes to make harder songs easier.

Hitting the Drums: Use a soft touch for better responsiveness and less noise. Notes will appear on screen, and you hit the corresponding pads. A long orange bar indicates when to use the bass pedal.

Bass Pedal Techniques:

• Heel Down: Suitable for lower difficulties or songs without a constant bass beat. Keep your heel down, press the pedal, and quickly tilt your foot to play.
• Heel Up: Ideal for songs with a constant bass part. Keep the pedal down until needed; this method is less tiring and better for maintaining a steady beat.

Separating foot and hand coordination for the bass pedal takes practice. Good songs to practice on Expert include "The Hand That Feeds," "Maps," "Orange Crush," and "Enter Sandman."

Activating Overdrive: Overdrive is collected like on Guitar but activated differently. During a drum fill (a section where all target areas are filled), hit at least three notes to power Overdrive. At the end of the fill, hit the Crash cymbal (green or red) to activate it.

Practice: The in-game drum tutorials are very helpful for learning.

Solo Career Setlist:

New York: Heebie Jeebie's

• Tier 1 Songs