Help! some self doubt going on

[ZildjianMan1023]

hey guys.. i noticed the last few days ive been playing fine like i normally do but im going on some self doubt.. i mean im starting to think that i suck and i know i dont but theres this part of me that consitently tells me i do.. i know everydrummer needs improvement.. but i mean i dont know how to get rid of this part of me that tells me im never going to be good.. its odd because ive never had this feeling before untill yesterday.. can anyone help me out? i mean im not saying im some super duper drummer but i can hold my own. =(

[Just Drums]

We all go through slumps and grow spurts. It's all natural and all good.

Try doing something totally different to put a fun new spin on your playing. Down size to a 4 pc. Set up left handed. Buy a new cymbal. Set up unsymmetrically. By doing something totally different, you'll be inclined to think differently and it'll all seem fresh and new.

Change is good.

[ZildjianMan1023]

We all go through slumps and grow spurts. It's all natural and all good.

Try doing something totally different to put a fun new spin on your playing. Down size to a 4 pc. Set up left handed. Buy a new cymbal. Set up unsymmetrically. By doing something totally different, you'll be inclined to think differently and it'll all seem fresh and new.

Change is good.


i might go to a 4 peice... i mean its odd i dont need my parents telling me im good i know. its nice to hear it from someone in my position who plays the drums.. i should change to a 4 peice.. im lookinginto getting a china

[ZildjianMan1023]

i feel maybe i need a few days away from my kit might do me some good

[Grungydan]

To piggyback on what Groove was saying, try out some new kinds of music. Grab a book or cd of African rhythms and see if you can't work something into your playing from there. Of if you're traditionally a rock player, try grabbing some old country western and practice staying way back in the pocket. Play some blues.

And don't let it bother you overly much. We all hit times when we feel like we've plateaued, or like we're not accomplishing anything. It passes, and usually you end up with more drive than you had before.

[ZildjianMan1023]

maybe that would be best.. ive been chaning my set up the whole time of playing my kit.. i dont feel like i have platued i consistently become better and better.. but i mean ive been trying to learn this one technique and its really bringing me down.. it doesnt help that most of the drummers in my area rub thier skill in my face.. idk why its getting me down now but it shouldnt,. thanks guys

[T.Underhill]

Slumps are typical. I try new things like suggested by some here. I tend to get in a huge slump and play the same style(s) and get less and less creative. So new music might help.
Sometimes you do start feeling really good at what you do and then there' someone always better than can kinda knock you down a bit in your head. Like if you're the best ball player on in your town and then you travel and play another town. There may be some hotshot that makes your skills feel mediocre. Don't fall victim to that stuff. Just think, in time you can play like them!

[ZildjianMan1023]

i shouldnt i keep telling myself that.. one day. and ive come along way since ive started un 3rd grade.. even a year ago i come to look at how much ive prospered and how much knowledge ive attained of the drums.. i guess its common then YAY! im not insane

[Aquamaroon]

The last time I fell into self-doubt, or a slump, I was able to break it by moving in to new areas outside my comfort zone. All it took was to go get a practice pad and a copy of Stick Control. Once I retrained my hands and brain to learn new tricks and then apply them to the kit it was as if I had become a new drummer.

[mikei]

Don't let it get you down.

Happens to me all the time. My wife tells me how good I have gotten. My kids tell their friends that their daddy is the best drummer in the world.

But, when I play, I know my limitations. And depending on the day, my playing ability seems to dramatically change. For some reasons, I will have a good day, others mediocre, and finally some days that are not good at all. When I have a bad day, sometimes I feel just like you.

Just keep practicing smart and you will get better.

[ZildjianMan1023]

Don't let it get you down.

Happens to me all the time. My wife tells me how good I have gotten. My kids tell their friends that their daddy is the best drummer in the world.

But, when I play, I know my limitations. And depending on the day, my playing ability seems to dramatically change. For some reasons, I will have a good day, others mediocre, and finally some days that are not good at all. When I have a bad day, sometimes I feel just like you.

Just keep practicing smart and you will get better.

YEAH YEAH YEAH! thats excactly how i feel

[intooder]

Stay away from the DW videos section for a while.

[fijjibo]

We all go through slumps and grow spurts. It's all natural and all good.

Try doing something totally different to put a fun new spin on your playing. Down size to a 4 pc. Set up left handed. Buy a new cymbal. Set up unsymmetrically. By doing something totally different, you'll be inclined to think differently and it'll all seem fresh and new.

Change is good.

I went through a point recently where I felt I couldn't progress with my playing.

So I decided to move to a four piece, and go back to funk, which was the style I first loved, rather than metal.

I feel already Im improving.

To repeat - Change IS good!!!!

[Mr. Pasquini]

What I always do when I feel bad about my playing is stop for a few hours then come back. Come back doing something rediculous, a polyrythm you like or something complicated that you're pretty good about. Stoke yourself up on the simple things.

Other days I change styles, go from Metal to Jazz or Blues. Whatever you do don't get too down on yourself, it's all about your love of the insturment.

[maddrummr]

Sit back and listen to yourself.

Instead of playing the beat...just kinda sit back and get in the groove. Instead of thinking what you can do better while your playing. Analyze how sweet that last fill came out.

[ZildjianMan1023]

haha i was watching live earth today seeing all these shiny drumsets which totally got me int he mood to play and ill tell you today was a good start over day

[brittc89]

hey guys.. i noticed the last few days ive been playing fine like i normally do but im going on some self doubt.. i mean im starting to think that i suck and i know i dont but theres this part of me that consitently tells me i do.. i know everydrummer needs improvement.. but i mean i dont know how to get rid of this part of me that tells me im never going to be good.. its odd because ive never had this feeling before untill yesterday.. can anyone help me out? i mean im not saying im some super duper drummer but i can hold my own. =(

Its better than being overly confident in your abilitites, but playing with confidence will make you sound better. You sound to me to just be a walking contradiction, i think I suck, I know im good, just practice, practice, practice till you dont have that doubt, just get good. I dont mean to come off as harsh, but thats life, just play the drums, youre thinking TOO MUCH!

[ZildjianMan1023]

Its better than being overly confident in your abilitites, but playing with confidence will make you sound better. You sound to me to just be a walking contradiction, i think I suck, I know im good, just practice, practice, practice till you dont have that doubt, just get good. I dont mean to come off as harsh, but thats life, just play the drums, youre thinking TOO MUCH!


probably am.. but i mean everyone needs to be harsh sometimes.. its the truth.. ive finally gotten it out of my head

[ZildjianMan1023]

when i play my kit.. i have a tama stagestar with evans g2 heads.. could it be that with my planet z cymbals and zbt cymbals.. i think i suck because in reality my cymbals dont sound taht good ... i mean because i want a very unique sound out of my kit so im thinking its my cymbals or my prespective of how im hearing my kit is how im thinking im really sounding.. if that made sense.. aha i just had an epeiphany

[Jon Cable]

hey guys.. i noticed the last few days ive been playing fine like i normally do but im going on some self doubt.. i mean im starting to think that i suck and i know i dont but theres this part of me that consitently tells me i do.. i know everydrummer needs improvement.. but i mean i dont know how to get rid of this part of me that tells me im never going to be good.. its odd because ive never had this feeling before untill yesterday.. can anyone help me out? i mean im not saying im some super duper drummer but i can hold my own. =(
Post a recording on here; the negative feedback will assure you that you're not Buddy [although you never claimed to be] and make ya feel like never playing again, but then ya get MAD...and you think of the famous drummers [not to us on dw but to the uneducated public] and realise that most of them just got lucky! Most 'civilians' can name 2, maybe 3 drummers and they usually aint any good!!
It doesn't matter how good you are, its about how much you enjoy what ya do; I love to post my s%^t on here and then ppl tell me my time sux etc but it dont matter, just love what ya do, and love yourself bro, you're the only one of you in the world and you're the best you there is!!

[Joel Woody]

dang.....this got me thinking.......now im thinking i suck too....hahahaha.....well i do, ive only been playing for a couple of years now......but come on.....you know things that other people dont.....we are drummers!.....nothing can put us down....besides guitar players......haha...jk

[gcarlet]

We all go through slumps and grow spurts. It's all natural and all good.

Try doing something totally different to put a fun new spin on your playing. Down size to a 4 pc. Set up left handed. Buy a new cymbal. Set up unsymmetrically. By doing something totally different, you'll be inclined to think differently and it'll all seem fresh and new.

Change is good.

I agree. I normally play on a six piece kit with six cymbals and a rack, but this past weekend I didn't feel like lugging all that around, so I only took my bass, snare, tom, floor tom, hats, ride, a crash and some stands. It was one of the better gigs I've played. It made me do more on less and I felt like I did really good. People also commented that I played more "inspired" than normal. It was cool.

Maybe you'll have the same success. Good luck! :-)

[balboa]

the most important thing to realize when playing an instrument is that its not a competition. some people are very competitive and it takes away from the fun and growth that one can obtain. who is anyone to tell you that your not any good? play from your heart and what you feel is right.

[ZildjianMan1023]

trust me brotha i am.. im competetive to a point im not out for blood to be the best drummer ever but i like to bring my "a" game to speak. i think drumming is a more of a revitalizing expereince it clears my mind and it gives me inspiration.. i know i cant spell BLAH