You think Rock Band's drums are hard? Try DrumMania.

Rock Band drums seem to be getting a lot of attention on the sift, so I decided to show you guys something far more impressive.

DrumMania is a Japanese game by Konami (the folks that make DDR). Unlike DDR, this game actually gets pretty damn realistic: the setup for the DrumMania console is exactly the same as that of an electric drumset. On the easy levels it's simple, with automatic kick to assist you, but on the hardest difficulty, you're playing a real drumbeat.

This kid gets an "SS" rank on the song (this song is only a 64, so it's not even close to being one of the hardest songs, it's just hard to find a video that's set up as good as this one is for DrumMania, so I picked this one), which is the equivalent of a gold five stars on rock band, except that this is real drum playing instead of their pussified little "drum" controller. Seriously, the only thing missing from DrumMania is a pedal for the hi-hat and a second cymbal.

Unlike Rock Band, where people often say "if you can play expert on drums, you should try playing drums for real," on DrumMania, if you can play on the highest difficulty, you CAN drum for real.
blahpooksays...

Might as well play the actual drums at that rate. Though of course it would be without the constant electronic positive feedback.

I can't even follow along with the video. I would really suck at this game.

JAPRsays...

That's the cool thing about this: If you can play at that level, you can legitimately play drums, and you can use that same drumset for it, since it's an actual electric drumset as opposed to just a video game controller.

thinker247says...

I miss playing this game. And to those who would say it's still not the real drums; it still is relevant on the level of skill. Maybe it helps to have a video screen telling you what to play, but once you memorize a song, it's the same as drumming live.

JAPRsays...

The tablature is hard to follow at high speeds at first, but just like DDR, you can get used to it and pretty soon are able to keep up with it at a high speed.

And yes, this IS actually playing drums, that guy's using a low-end electric drum set right there. There are definitely some differences, such as controlling dynamics, and there are certain techniques that you can't do with an electric drumset, but it's essentially the exact same thing, except electronic.

JAPRsays...

>randomize

Yeah, I've seen rock band with an electric drumset, but the addition of the extra drum makes quite a difference.

Besides, this game has been around for ages longer than Rock Band, and is waaaaaaay cooler (now if only they had the song list of Rock Band on one of these...).

Mgshadowsays...

You know i think the combo meter was measuring how many times this guy played this song to get that good at it. Im thinking he didnt even watch the screen and just played from memory. Really kind of insane at that speed.

Alaksays...

This just proves practice make perfect. I can play alot of songs on real drums without even remembering.Although Im not entirely good at drums, so it takes me along time to learn a new song. My brain just automatically does it. Which sucks when I play on a different kit, or my wife re-arranges stuff when Im not paying attention. I'll be in hardcore drummer mode and reach for a cymbal thats not there.

The key to drumming is counting on time and constant repetition.

Aemaethsays...

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but it seems on par with Through Fire and Flame on expert: you have to play the song enough times to get the basic idea memorized and then you're set. I understand there are harder songs on this game, and don't worry, I accept that drums are harder than guitar on video games.

9232says...

This game is at my school's arcade. I played it cuz I can do hard mode Rock Band drums on 360. I gamed overed in like... 20 seconds. lol. Then some dude behind me, just to show me up apparently, hopped onto the game and did something like this. Not nearly as perfect but still great. I was like daaayaaaaaam.

I really hope Rock Band 2's drum set gets bigger. Perhaps as an optional expansion. I would love to be able to have a game train me in playing real drums.

10874says...

"Just a strain on the eyes. The tablature is harder to follow than it is to drum. And it's still not actually playing drums."

I've played this game at the arcade, and it's completely awesome. That tempo is not something you'll find earlier in the game, though the icons are a bit hard to follow.

And actually, it IS playing on a real drumset (electric).

"And yes, this IS actually playing drums, that guy's using a low-end electric drum set right there. There are definitely some differences, such as controlling dynamics, and there are certain techniques that you can't do with an electric drumset, but it's essentially the exact same thing, except electronic"

Seriously, I highly recommend this game. Anyone who hasn't played on a real set in awhile will find themselves working out any rustiness. I just wish it had a "freestyle" mode where you could just jam (yes, it's that good).

Listen. Anyone who doesn't play drums who ends up buying this game, GO TO GUITAR CENTER (or some other store that lets you jam on drums) ONCE YOU GET USED TO IT and check out an electric drumset. You will be surprised!!!!!

10348says...

>> ^jerryku:
I would love to be able to have a game train me in playing real drums.


Sigh. Does your school not have a music program? How about private lessons from an actual person? While these games are fun, and I love playing Rock Band, they do nothing for teaching you to read music (yeah, Im on that high horse). The game can teach you muscle memory but will not teach you how to play drums. Drummers are musicians too. (I cant believe I just said that)

10874says...

Unfortunately for you dude, drum mania actually does teach you some basic motions in playing drums. If you were to go from this game to drum lessons, you would find yourself ahead of most people.

Keep in mind, these are real drums configured in an actual drum configuration. Once you get to the point in the game where the hi hat is actually used as it is in reality, you're no longer just hitting some random drum in accordance to some random command as in DDR or Rock Band.

Not to mention the fact that this game teaches you actual spot on rhythm *with real drums* and essentially gives you the practice of playing with a metronome (a rhythm keeping device used in all types of instrumental music). And that as a person who used to play drums, I love this game and wish that there was a mode where there's no game at all, just a freestyle jam session.

JAPRsays...

>> ^Esoog:
>> ^jerryku:
I would love to be able to have a game train me in playing real drums.

Sigh. Does your school not have a music program? How about private lessons from an actual person? While these games are fun, and I love playing Rock Band, they do nothing for teaching you to read music (yeah, Im on that high horse). The game can teach you muscle memory but will not teach you how to play drums. Drummers are musicians too. (I cant believe I just said that)


It seriously depends on what kind of music you want to play. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I would think only band and classical music would require a drummer to be able to read music. Most drummers don't need to be able to read music, and drumming is mainly about muscle memory and rhythm. You really can learn how to play drums from it though; through the different songs you'll get a handle on different patterns, beats, and fills, and you can take and apply that to an acoustic drumset.

Incidentally, I saw a DrumMania game set up in a music store in Kanazawa, Japan, so that customers could just play it (it was the home system version), and there was an ad next to it that encouraged people that were interested in drumming to sign up for lessons, lol.

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