Practise routine

[gusty]

My practise is fairly good at the moment...im averaging about an hour a day. A lot better than it used to be. Only thing is there's not really any structure...the only thing i absolutely make sure i do every day is 24 mins on Stick Control. Anyway...

I want to get my chops better, so would it be ok spending most of the time on technique (stick control, rudiments and double bass) and then some time on the kit (it would consist of going through the book groove perspectives at the moment).

So something like...if I had an hour one day, Stick Control for 24 minutes then the rest on the book, or going through some double bass stuff

Or if I had 3 hours then it might be...SC for 24 mins, 30 mins on dbl bass, hour on rudiments and hour on groove perspectives. Would that be okay to do? Enough musicality in there, atleast until I build up my chops?

[gusty]

hate to do it
bump
2020

[jazzin']

Yes. Thats plenty. If you do just one hour of concentrated practice you can get very good. If you do 3 hours of concentrated practice you can get 3x very good! Just remember it's not the chops that will make you good but the ideas you have. So, work on your chops like mad, just don't forget to spend time working on ideas and development of musical phrases and understanding of what to use where and why.

Any routine you do that involves basic technique work (stick control, rudiments etc) and various forms of kit work (styles, solo, facility etc) will make you good if you are consistent and persistent. Don't worry too much about what you are practicing as long as you are doing it constantly. Do your routine for 6 months minimum...thats minimum, not maximum, and I guarantee you'll be stunned at how much you progress.

There is so much out there to practice these days, especially with all the books and dvd's and forums with people obsessed by technique and stuff that most people forget what they should do and just get stressed out and overwhelmed with what to practice and the fact that theres just too much to do!!! You'll get better results by sticking to one thing and repeating it constantly over a long period of time than with any other method. It's the only foolproof method of getting it straight into your vocabulary.

[gusty]

Thanks, thats what I needed to hear. If, say, I had an hour today and did 24 mins SC, then 35 (or 36) mins on double kick, then tomorrow i had an hour only...would it be best to do SC for 24m then rudiments for 35m? If I had to break it down to most important and how long to do the rudiments for, what would that look like? <--Sounds confusing, so I'll try and explain like this...

35m on rudiments..

10m singles
10m doubles
10m paradiddles
5m rudiment of the fortnight (paradiddle-diddles for example)

or..

1h on rudiments

15m singles
15m doubles
10m paradiddles
20m rudiment of the fortnight


Something like that?

[Jeff Almeyda]

I say try something totally different. Spend an hour on single strokes one day and spend an hour on the kit emphasizing grooves and foot technique the other day.

Here's why: It normally takes up to 30 minutes for an inexperienced drummer to get fully warmed up. But you have switched exercise every 15 minutes so you see the problem.

The single stroke roll is, by far, the most important rudiment. Improving control of singles will directly increase your facility on the kit. It will also increase overall hand facility.

You can do whatever you want on the other day, but I would work on the kit, emphasizing, time and groove playing while also keeping an eye on my technique.

The general theory behind this methodology is best represented in the book, Effortless Mastery. Take 1 thing up to a pro (or substantially improved) level, then and only then move on.

The "shotgun" approach only works well if you have plenty of time to practice. Your nervous system needs time to properly record the motions into your muscle memory. Stick to one thing for the entire hour and you'll see definite results.

I will be posting a thread soon about my practice methodology which may be helpful. For now, realize that practice is WORK, it is not play. The more focused you are in your practice sessions, the more you will get out of them.

[jazzin']

You know what? I would probably do something kind of in between. 10 mins each for the basic rudiments is good. Enough. I would also throw in press roll for 10 mins. Even if you don't, or won't, use it much in your playing the touch, finesse and feel it will give you with your other playing will increase tremendously with practice of it. Anyway, just a thought.
Apart from that I would also say try and keep it real simple. Not too many little different exercises. You'll eventually get to everything in time so take it easy and go through everything thoroughly.

I think the basic rudiments as above plus either twenty minutes of stick control or some specific rudiments you want to do would be a really good, solid technique workout. A lot more than most people would do. I personally would learn something like the rudimental ritual to cover rudiments plus four way co-ordination in one. Thats what I used to do anyway...warm up with the ritual (which takes about 15-20 min at a medium kind of pace) then do 10 mins of each main rudiment. Right now I'm still doing the ritual but have replaced the main rudiments with stick control. I've thrown in some extra stuff that I want covered into the ritual as well like three stroke rolls, press roll, plus variations of certain rudiments.

Really though, if you're going to be doing ten minutes every day of this kind of routine it is very good. So, I would go with the ten minute version of things. No need to over do it. Ten minutes every day for six months and you'll be very, very surprised at how much your control and endurance improves!

[jazzin']

Just saw Jeffs reply. Great stuff. That is also a road you could go down. Just depends what you want out of it and how much you're willing to do. Lots of methods, just remember, it's all about consistent work.

Check out that book. Every serious muso should read it. Check out his music in fact as well. Really brilliant stuff. Kenny Werner. Albums with Ari Hoenig, Joey Baron, Jack DeJohnette....Fantastic!

[gusty]

Determination is not a problem, I've mostly gotten over that hump.

So, the basic rudiments being...singles, doubles and paradiddles? So all up, 40m (including press roll) on rudiments a day (when possible). And then 24m on SC, then 10-15 mins on dbl bass work. Thats 1h 15m-20m a day on technique, and that just wont be possible every day. Wow this is confusing...


Then the other way....

1h a day on just singles, then if i have more time i can do other stuff...SC, dbl bass, kit work.

then the next day 1h on kit and feet, then after that SC, then some more kit work if ive got the time....

This would work well for me, since i get up every (most) morning before school and practise for an hour (yay for e-kits).

I might try that out, but when should I stop doing an hour of singles a day...also how should I practise them (bpm, etc..)

[NUTHA JASON]

i divide my time up between pad practice and kit. on a music stand by my pad in the lounge i have a practice routine i work thorough, see below, every day usually in the morning. its kind of a warm up too. then i go to my drums where i spend time applying rudiments and chops etc to the drums or solidly working on grooves and my drum grades.

here it is:
(as you can see for the most part there are no times for each exercise. in a rush i can do it all in 30 or so minutes but usually i stretch it out to an hour)


Essential practice


No drums exercises.

No metronome
Keep a steady comfortable speed
Count as 1e&a 2e&a…etc. count the 16ths for the first few and then just the quarters until reaching at least 100.
Heel down foot tapping RLRL
Heel up foot dancing/running RLRL
Heel-toe double bass. (RHeel…LHeel…RToe…LToe…)
Dom Famularo’s empty hand exercise RLRLPad workouts.


1. Check strokes

With or without a metronome
Steady even sound – the object exercise must sound the same as the checkstrokes.
Speed is unimportant.1a) Open close technique using check strokes.

1a)i)
R L R L R L R L R R R R R R R R L R L R L R L R L L L L L L L L
CHECK STOKES....O C O C O C O C CHECK STROKES...O C O C O C O C

1a)ii)
R L R L R R R R L R L R L L L L
........O C O C ........O C O C

1b) Finger technique using check strokes.

1b)i)
R L R L R L R L R R R R R R R R L R L R L R L R L L L L L L L L
CHECK STOKES....F F F F F F F F CHECK STROKES...F F F F F F F F

1b)ii)
R L R L R R R R L R L R L L L L
........F F F F ........F F F F

1c) Rolling using check strokes.

1c)i)
R L R L R L R L R R L L R R L L
CHECK STOKES.... OPEN ROLL ....

1c)ii)
R L R L R R L L





2) Diddle when you wanna

With or without a metronome
Start approximately at 100 bpm
Slowly increase speed until the diddles have to become bounces
Strive to play the whole exercise through three times without errorR L R R L R L L x4
R R L R L L R L x4
R L L R L R R L x4
R L R L L R L R x4
L R L L R L R R x4
L L R L R R L R x4
L R R L R L L R x4
L R L R R L R L x4


3) Rolling


3)a) Stepping up

Lead with each hand alternating (eg RRLLR...LLRRL...)
Strive for each roll to sound the same regardless of which hand leads.3)a)i) 4 – stroke roll
3)a)ii) 5 – stroke roll
3)a)iii) 7 – stroke roll
3)a)iv) 9 – stroke roll
3)a)v) 13- stroke roll


3)b) Rolling around

With or without a metronome
Start approximately at 100 bpm
Slowly increase speed until the diddles have to become bounces
Strive to play the whole exercise through three times without errorR R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L
R L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R
L L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R
L R R L L R R L L R R L L R R L


3)c) Open long roll

No metronome
Start slowly
Increase speed very gradually then slow down
Try changing the volume and stick heights while not changing the speed.





4) Triplets


4)a) Drill

With or without a metronome
Start approximately at 110 bpm
Slowly increase speed until the diddles have to become bounces
Strive to play the whole exercise through three times without errorRLL RLL RLL RLL RLL RLL RLL RLL
RRL RRL RRL RRL RRL RRL RRL RRL
RRR LLL RRR LLL RRR LLL RRR LLL
RRL LRR LLR RLL RRL LRR LLR RLL
RLR RLR RLR RLR RLR RLR RLR RLR
LRR LRR LRR LRR LRR LRR LRR LRR
LLR LLR LLR LLR LLR LLR LLR LLR
LLL RRR LLL RRR LLL RRR LLL RRR
LLR RLL RRL LRR LLR RLL RRL LRR
LRL LRL LRL LRL LRL LRL LRL LRL


4)b) Jazz rudiment

RLL RLR

5) Quintuplets

With or without a metronome
Start approximately at 50 bpm with each count falling on the accented first stroke of each 5
Slowly increase speed 5)a) Single strokes

R L R L R L R L R L


5)b) With diddles

R L L R R L R R L L


5)c) Egg beaters

5)c)i) RRRLL
5)c)ii) RRLLL
5)c)iii) RRRLL RRLLL

[gusty]

Instead of creating another thread on the topic, I'll just bump this one up.

I need advice again...I'm feeling like there's no real 'structure'.

I've narrowed down the things I want to work on...technique, groove, and jazz.

I was thinking stick control and singles (24m stick control, 36m singles everyday), Pat Petrillo's DVD (1 hour) and The Art of Bop Drumming(1 hour). For the rest of the school holidays I'd be doing mostly 2-3 hours a day, once i get back to school between 1 and 2 hours.

So technique no matter what everyday...when i can fit it in do say the dvd, then the next day (or whenever i can fit it in) i'll do the art of bop drumming.

Is this too much or a good amount?

[TitanSound]

Is this too much or a good amount?

Too much...TOO MUCH? There can never be enough ;)

I shall be keeping a close eye on this thread as I really slipped off the practice wagon towards the end of last year. I have decided I am going to be putting aside AT LEAST 2 hours in the evening. I do not have access to a kit at home so it will be all pad work.

[aydee]

Gust, I'll leave the real advice to the forum gurus like Jeff, and Ken, and Raymond, but heres advice I am qualified to give you.

LISTEN TO MUSIC......ALL KINDS........A LOT!

[gusty]

Too much...TOO MUCH? There can never be enough ;)

I shall be keeping a close eye on this thread as I really slipped off the practice wagon towards the end of last year. I have decided I am going to be putting aside AT LEAST 2 hours in the evening. I do not have access to a kit at home so it will be all pad work.

Oh right, sorry, I meant like too much stuff to practise instead of too much time lol. How are your chops?

Gust, I'll leave the real advice to the forum gurus like Jeff, and Ken, and Raymond, but heres advice I am qualified to give you.

LISTEN TO MUSIC......ALL KINDS........A LOT!

Thanks man, I think I'll need to get some more jazz stuff, I listen to jazz stations on the net but to get really familiar with certain songs i think i'll need to buy some albums.

[TitanSound]

Chops...I have none...lol.

To blow my own trumpet (always take a positive out of a negative) I could give any board member here a run for their money when it comes to grooving. Get me in a chop fest though and I will crumble faster than something that crumbles really fast!

The reason for that is, pure and simple, bad technique and years of bad habits. Its fine when playing at moderate tempos but I tense up way to much when trying to go round the kit or do 16th note fills. And I have totally neglected my left hand over all these years...its going to take a while to get it up to speed with my right.

[aydee]

I think I'll need to get some more jazz stuff, I listen to jazz stations on the net but to get really familiar with certain songs i think i'll need to buy some albums.

with jazz, I find the more I listen to the same tune over and over again, the more I start to hear different things.. good idea to buy some good stuff, and keep hitting the replay button ..

[gusty]

with jazz, I find the more I listen to the same tune over and over again, the more I start to hear different things.. good idea to buy some good stuff, and keep hitting the replay button ..

Yeah, only recently have i been discovering what listening is.

[QUOTE=TitanSound]Chops...I have none...lol.

To blow my own trumpet (always take a positive out of a negative) I could give any board member here a run for their money when it comes to grooving. Get me in a chop fest though and I will crumble faster than something that crumbles really fast!

The reason for that is, pure and simple, bad technique and years of bad habits. Its fine when playing at moderate tempos but I tense up way to much when trying to go round the kit or do 16th note fills. And I have totally neglected my left hand over all these years...its going to take a while to get it up to speed with my right. {/QUOTE]

Haha, I know how you feel. I only started working on technique not that long ago, its getting there, but I know I still have a long way to go...to get to wherever it is.

[aydee]

Here's a really profound & interesting excerpt from an Ari Hoenig interview about practice:

That’s something I tell my students to do: Sit down at the drums and compose a piece of music right off the bat, anything you want, but only using one instrument.
In other words, use just a cymbal, a drum, or a hi-hat, and come up with all the sounds you can think of. Then get out of that and do whatever you want to rhythmically and form-wise.
You can create everything with just one or two sounds if you want to. That’s when the most creative stuff happens. I played a gig once where I forgot to bring a snare drum—but I ended up loving that gig!

MD: Looking back on your development as a player, what things came naturally for you and what things did you have to work hard on?

Ari: When I was in high school, I was kind of at the mercy of my teachers. One of my teachers at the time, Carl Mottola, had me doing a lot of technique and reading exercises. He was in control of my development. I was sixteen years old and he was saying, “This is what you should do,” and so I did that. It wasn’t about being creative or coming up with any of your own stuff. It was strictly by-the-book training.

It wasn’t until later that I started to discover things on my own—how music sounds, how deep it can be, and how deep a groove can be. That was definitely something I had to work on myself through practicing, and I still do it. I’m still very conscious of those things every time I play. I’m thinking about how it feels, I’m thinking about tempos, I’m thinking about, “Does this really feel good? Do I want to get up and dance to this? Is it that funky or is it swinging that hard?”

I remember going to sessions at North Texas State and repeating to myself over and over, “Play musically, play musically, play musically. That’s the most important thing. Just go in there and play music.” So that’s something I was consciously working on all of the time. That didn’t come so naturally to me at first.

The thing is, in order to get past technique, you need to have a firm knowledge of it, and that’s what I was lucky enough to get from all of my lessons with Carl. By the time I went to college, I didn’t have to think about technique so much. And I really haven’t practiced technique since, I mean in terms of rudiments or anything like that. I don’t really need to do that anymore to make the statement I want to make.

[fourstringdrums]

Here's a really profound & interesting excerpt from an Ari Hoenig interview about practice:

That’s something I tell my students to do: Sit down at the drums and compose a piece of music right off the bat, anything you want, but only using one instrument.
In other words, use just a cymbal, a drum, or a hi-hat, and come up with all the sounds you can think of. Then get out of that and do whatever you want to rhythmically and form-wise.

That reminds me of what my then bass teacher had me do for an exercise (when I used to play). I always had a hard time coming up with bass lines and he told me to pick two or three notes and play something using only those.

[gusty]

thanks for posting that aydee
any comments on the practise plan?