I'm learning to play, what are your tips/recommendations?

[jancivil]

If I'm doing a metered drum track which is supposed to keep time, I suppose I can't help but be aware of where 1 specifically occurs.
If I'm doing a lead over a meter, or drumming where there is some meter but I'm doing something outside that box, I should be cognizant of where 1 is anyway.

However I do unmetered music all the time, and impulsively. Where I actually have to determine barlines and beats after the fact.

You want to get to where the meter itself (eg., "4") is not something you have to think a lot about.

You can't think and play at the same time. - Sonny Rollins

[jancivil]

For example, a basic drum beat will tend to have the 'backbeat' on 2 and 4. You internalize this.

If there is something like a Music Minus 1 for drums, a good idea is to fill in the drums yourself after some examination of what's typical.
I don't have much to say about training for finger drumming or basic beating on surfaces as I was doing it from a very early age. But you want to sort out the hihat role vis a vis the kick drum, the snare drum role, etc. Maybe you'll get to execute that in real time, maybe not but there's a focused way to look at that.

I'm a believer in learning technique(s) in playing music rather than trying to by reading. Except for reading music. For drums, there may even be something in the library which lays out all the hip hop beats in a drum score. I've picked that book up in the library and annoyed other users tapping on my lap.

[seangm]

Are those of you that play, consciously aware of the bar line and the meter at all times?

I can only speak for myself but the rhythm seems to be all about feeling the pulse of the downbeat and placing the notes in relation to that pulse (and being aware the "1" of each bar like you mentioned). Too much analytical thinking while playing I have found throws off the feel. But I guess if your question is about practicing specific rhythms then you would want to understand/analyze the rhythm that is written first and get that internalized so you don't have to think about it while you're playing/performing.

[scratchaer]

find II V I loops on the youtube and try to improvise over that