Post your Greatest Weakness

[wy yung]

Is this some kind of strange reference to Bernard Purdie's current gig?????

[ablagoo95]

My greatest weakness is not being confident enough to do my best playing in front of anybody.....but that will probab;y change with time

[paistemage]

Thinking that I can always do better and denegrating my performances sometimes, and being a harsh critic, although that can be a strength.

Technique wise, doing really complex jazz stuff.

[specgrade]

Being self taught, I don't know all the "lingo" and rely on videos and pictures to help.

[specgrade]

My greatest weakness is not being confident enough to do my best playing in front of anybody.....but that will probab;y change with time

I know what you mean. I hated to play in front of my family and friends. One day I was jamming and a buddy came over and surprised me. He dug what I was doing and started to tell others about my playing. Next thing I know I had a room full of people and I was playing for them. It all happened so simply.

It will change with time, keep playing and you'll see.

[canading]

My major weakness is I tend to choke when put in the spotlight. During December, I had four shows with my school's jazz band. One of the songs we played was Louie Louie, which has I believe a four bar solo. In practice, I did it perfectly almost every time. When we played at shows, I hit the solo two out of four times. The times I screwed up it disappeared from my brain and I just hit everything in what I hope was a somewhat coherent fashion. I have no idea what I even played, but I was thinking of a number of explicit words. I believe the song was midway through our set, so I don’t think it was a matter of not being warmed up.
What I really need help with is how to cure my fear of being in the spotlight. If anyone has strategies or something to help me cope with this issue, it would be more than welcome. Screwing up at very important moments is not fun and not something I want to continue.

Thanks,

C

[militia814]

my biggest weakness that im working on is having control over an open hi-hat. I never use to use an open hi-hat. I always kept it barley open just to give the hi-hat a nice shimmery sound. but now i'm helping out a friend with his 70s band. they cover a lot of tunes from the 60's 70's and 80's, and i need to get better at contolling the open hi-hat.

[rachard1583]

When I talk of the "weak hand," I will be referring to the left hand. This had a tremendous impact on my playing. Now, I used to do exercises.

[Mark_S]

Playing drums.

But seriously..

1) Tensing up on faster fills, especially at higher volumes.
2) Sometimes over-thinking at gigs.
3) Looking glum when I play stuff that needs my concentration.
4) Remembering song structures (more of a problem lately with the new band).
5) Playing familiar songs during practise time behind the kit instead of working on weaknesses (see item 1)

And many many more....

[khansaadiq]

Personally i got a few

non-drumming wise: my spelinngng<---see what i did there :)

drumming wise: my obsession with wanting every piece of gear out there. Even if i dont need it, i dont think im alone
-i tense up sometimes
-almost necessary can of monster energy while drumming
-overplaying causing my band to get pissed and break my stuff, leads back to number 1 and then back to number 2
-anything swing or jazz related, my limbs like each other to much to play away from each other
-and me never wanting to play fills, ever

[Crusto 62]

Red hot women and ice cold beer!

[ivonne]

Double pedal and fast fills I always end up hitting the rims lol

[Lex]

My locomotion. I've got the Asperger sydrome, meaning (amongst other things) that my limb independence is not that great.

[hawksmoor]

This may have been posted before, but for me it's playing jazz. I love jazz. I'm steeped in jazz. I have a huge jazz CD/record collection. I go to a lot of jazz gigs (I've seen Pharoah Sanders a bunch of times, Art Blakey even more, Elvin Jones. Heck, I even saw Sun Ra!). But can I play it? No I bloody well can't.

[BlakeS]

Bonham type triplets with hands and bass drum :(

also many other things

[Lee Mangano]

Your not alone on that one ....Jazz is a whole nother animal for us drummers ! IMO you can't learn or be taught Jazz, it has to be in you, theres a feeling and a dicipline you need to have in order to be a classic jazz player...for my being a Rock Drummer I have Backbone & Groove and take control...I don't have the dynamics for jazz but as you do love it...


This may have been posted before, but for me it's playing jazz. I love jazz. I'm steeped in jazz. I have a huge jazz CD/record collection. I go to a lot of jazz gigs (I've seen Pharoah Sanders a bunch of times, Art Blakey even more, Elvin Jones. Heck, I even saw Sun Ra!). But can I play it? No I bloody well can't.

[matthew]

Centralzeke " Problems w/ Left hand & rushing"
A: OH !! Boy !! havn't ever heard of these problems before...Get Oliver Stone's "Stick Control" book & go buy a metronome & practice, im 47 and still on page 1

in what ways are you practicing that book?

i know it can be used in many ways, but could you explain what you are doing?

I mean i work on singles, doubles, paradiddles and their variants, but other than doing the exactly stickings provided what is it that i dont see in stick control?

i use syncopation for its adaptibility to other 'unwritten' exercises, and greb's rhythmic alphabet etc...

im curious as to whether im missing out something from this book, or if im doing the same sort of stuff with a selection of other material.

(none of my teachers ever taught me with this book). I own it and have worked form it but I am really curious because I want to develop (as always) :)

edit: my weaknesses... lots!

one or two i can think of right now...

dont use my time effectively enough.
unable to sit on a kit and just play something to some one and impress them! (i think) i just work on grooves hah!
nerves/headspace while performing can change depending on the night, getting better, but even with lots of live experience and even at a regular gig, i can have a bad night, over think, and not play as well!

[Luke50001]

My problem used to be left food independence, which I have down pretty good now.

I still have problems with my left hand though, it is not close to as good as my right. And my soloing isn't very good either. Maybe I'm just a perfectionist though, I'm never 100% satisfied with my performance.

But I'm always eager to learn. :) I got myself to branch out from metal and go into latin (songo, bossa nova) and funk and jazz, and other styles and ways of playing and I think my playing and creativity and feel have improved from it.

[Lee Mangano]

Mathew...I studied with Joe Pet and he brought me to another level...Here is just a few ways to use page 1 to help your control, timing and independance between Hand & Foot

Hands
# 1 - Play everything with metronome in your ear
# 2 - Play 1-12 individually until each pattern is mastered in solid meter
# 3 - Combine 1-12 with no lost time as written on the page in 4 count measures

RT Hand & RT Foot Coordination
# 1 - Every R in Pattern is your RT Hand on SD and every L is your RT Foot on BD
# 2 - Every R in Pattern is your LT Hand on SD and every L is your LT Foot on BD
# 3 - Every R in Pattern is your RT Hand on SD and every L is your LT Foot on BD
# 4 - Every R in Pattern is your LT Hand on SD and every L is your RT Foot on BD


get back to me after you tried these combinations ...some of the execises will make you fall off your seat they are so awkward ! But they will help your independence between limbs.

in what ways are you practicing that book?

i know it can be used in many ways, but could you explain what you are doing?

I mean i work on singles, doubles, paradiddles and their variants, but other than doing the exactly stickings provided what is it that i dont see in stick control?

i use syncopation for its adaptibility to other 'unwritten' exercises, and greb's rhythmic alphabet etc...

im curious as to whether im missing out something from this book, or if im doing the same sort of stuff with a selection of other material.

(none of my teachers ever taught me with this book). I own it and have worked form it but I am really curious because I want to develop (as always) :)

edit: my weaknesses... lots!

one or two i can think of right now...

dont use my time effectively enough.
unable to sit on a kit and just play something to some one and impress them! (i think) i just work on grooves hah!
nerves/headspace while performing can change depending on the night, getting better, but even with lots of live experience and even at a regular gig, i can have a bad night, over think, and not play as well!

[N.I.B.]

Weaknesses? Oh, Christ...

1) No job, so if I want a drum book / piece of drum equipment, it comes from birthday / holiday money.
2) Endurance - I hit the drums too damn hard when I shouldn't and that habit cost me several sticks, though it's getting better!
3) I can't find the confidence to play in my ensemble class in high school - I get embarrassed and afraid of playing in front of my 4 other bandmates because I feel that the drum kit's overpowering everyone else (even with dampening pads on the drums to mute them - they don't work all that well), so I wind up going out of time and crap because of that.
4) Practicing rudiments - I just need to stop being lazy with this one!
5) Overthinking my playing when I play to songs while practicing - often leads to me screwing up badly and / or going out of time.
6) [Insert other 990,000 weaknesses here]

[TonyRedmond12]

My biggest problem is over thinking things, I actually play much better at gigs etc. because the nerves cause my mind to go blank and actually just play with feel and groove.
That and my left hand, it's getting there, slowly but surely.

[jethro]

transitions and transcribing

[Bosh]

Double bass BALANCE and speed. I have been trying to get into double bass drumming because my brother (guitarrist) is in a metalcore band, and he wants me to be their drummer (because I'm pretty decent with my hands) but I can barely hit 16th at 140 bpm with a lot of effort. It seems that gaining speed is a lot harder than I thought

[THC]

My greatest weakness is not being confident enough to do my best playing in front of anybody.....but that will probab;y change with time

+1 Not only in drumming, but in many aspects of life.

[maybelooking]

im having a hell of a time getting my double strokes fluid and fast. its really a pain.

[resohead]

My memory is terrible. It doesn't affect drumming that much, maybe because my interest holds me. But in learning situations...school, work, not good.

I think that being ''smart'' is as much about memory as anything.

[Midnite Zephyr]

My left hand isn't as fluid and agile as my right hand. It's funny because if you think about it, for instance, a person wouldn't curl a 35 lbs dumbbell with the right hand and a 20 lbs dumbbell with the left hand. That example is a bit of an exaggeration though.

[JohnW]

I don't think there's a website big enough for me to post all of my weaknesses. But I would stop playing if I didn't love it.

-John

[paistemage]

Coming up with something, doubting it.

Then loving it, then hating it, then finally POSSIBLY rethinking it, and then going with my initial feeling.

Full circle

[longgun]

My left hand....and stamina

[Lee Mangano]

Try setting your kit up left handed and "ONLY" play left handed for a few weeks...if you notice a change you might want to work like that now & then to strengthen the coordination on that side of your body...

My left hand isn't as fluid and agile as my right hand. It's funny because if you think about it, for instance, a person wouldn't curl a 35 lbs dumbbell with the right hand and a 20 lbs dumbbell with the left hand. That example is a bit of an exaggeration though.

[Lee Mangano]

There is medication for that !

Coming up with something, doubting it.

Then loving it, then hating it, then finally POSSIBLY rethinking it, and then going with my initial feeling.

Full circle

[hampis]

The fact that i am very bored and lazy to read music can also be considered as a weakness
i tend to sing loud while playing although i have a horrible voice
i hit the hats pretty hard making accents when i don't need to
my left hand is still ''dead'' and rudiments is not my best friend

[Gvdadrummasum]

my greatest weakness is also my greatest frustration

my often scatter brained practices

I have so many things im working on and so many books im working out of that I drive myself crazy

I have a problem with putting too much on my plate

I want to work on it all but cant seem to find that comfortable medium where im not trying to squeeze it all in one practice session

not all the time.....but sometimes I feel like this affects my practice in a negative way

I try to get 5 major components into every practice session

1) some free flowing improv at a certain tempo ...lately have been working on creative solos in 7 .....and also soloing over a samba ostinato ....I do this repeating a one measure phrases, build 4 different ones then put them all together

2) Independence ....been working out of the El Negro book Conversations in Clave....great book

3) Linear playing....I love this style of playing and am trying to master it.....been working with Gary Chaffees Linear Time PLaying...also a great book

4) Polyrhythms...been using the Pablo Rieppi book Snare Drum Technique essential exercises for daily practivce....in the back there are amazing polyrhythm breakdowns , I just apply them to the kit

5) Speed and endurance....most of the time done on a pad running through subdivisions in different sticking patterns , and doing straight singles and double into one another through every subdivision
basically just conditioning muscle groups and trying to perfect my stroke

so my greatest weakness at the moment is focusing on one thing and being patient

Im well aware of this and am in the process of trying to dedicate a practice session to one or two of these components a day

its hard for me because I want to work on all of it

Im sure some of you know where im coming from

[Talismanis]

Foot technique.

I can't play double bass at any kind of respectable speed.
I can't seem to get heel-toe technique down in shoes.
I can't get slide technique under control.

practicepracticeineedmorepracticeimgoingtogoandpra ctice

[Midnite Zephyr]

Try setting your kit up left handed and "ONLY" play left handed for a few weeks...if you notice a change you might want to work like that now & then to strengthen the coordination on that side of your body...

Haven't thought of that. It's actually a pretty good idea. I'd probably enjoy it for a little while. The music I play nowadays isn't all the standard 2 & 4 rock beats. I have to pull off some fancy grooves sometimes. We're talking a jazzy funk rock with a touch of blues. I think to myself while I'm playing...now what would JoJo do with this song...hmmm.?

[MaryO]

Lack of self-confidence and lack of patience.

[hngodesign]

my greatest weakness is also my greatest frustration

my often scatter brained practices

I have so many things im working on and so many books im working out of that I drive myself crazy

I have a problem with putting too much on my plate

I want to work on it all but cant seem to find that comfortable medium where im not trying to squeeze it all in one practice session

not all the time.....but sometimes I feel like this affects my practice in a negative way

so my greatest weakness at the moment is focusing on one thing and being patient

Im well aware of this and am in the process of trying to dedicate a practice session to one or two of these components a day

its hard for me because I want to work on all of it

Im sure some of you know where im coming from

I totally know where you're coming from Gvdadrummasum! I struggle with the exact same thing. Just trying to fit in as much as I can in a practice session. I have a hard time focusing on one thing because I feel like it just takes time for my brain to process what I'm doing. So I'll practice some jazz independence for 15-20 mins, then jump to drum improv with a click at different tempos, then practice bass drum techniques, then practice hand techniques esp with my weaker hand, etc, etc. I guess the good thing is we do spend our practice time doing things we are not good at.