6 years of playing - have i lost my way?

[JT1]

Hi everyone i've been playing drums for about 6 years now and i feel like i've hit a bench and i don't even think i'm very good, a lot of people say i am the best in the area but i honestly don't think i'm that good. I play decently in a band however when i'm jamming at home i really think my playing sucks and i'm so impatient that i can't be bothered to learn anything new like rudiments and things. It's frustrating. I guess what i want to ask people is, are you good in a band but not particularly good playing on your own? Are you good playing along to music but not so good just jamming to yourself? I feel after 6 years i should be a lot better and it's getting me down. It would be nice to know if someone feels the same way.

[randrade89]

Well I think, the longer you have been playing drums, the harder it is to get better. I mean, its like, in your first week you can start playing some cool rock beats. But as you keep goin, the progress seems way slower. You just gotta keep goin, and know that you are getting better. Hope that helps and pardon ma english

[Chazz]

Hi everyone i've been playing drums for about 6 years now and i feel like i've hit a bench and i don't even think i'm very good, a lot of people say i am the best in the area but i honestly don't think i'm that good. I play decently in a band however when i'm jamming at home i really think my playing sucks and i'm so impatient that i can't be bothered to learn anything new like rudiments and things. It's frustrating. I guess what i want to ask people is, are you good in a band but not particularly good playing on your own? Are you good playing along to music but not so good just jamming to yourself? I feel after 6 years i should be a lot better and it's getting me down. It would be nice to know if someone feels the same way.

Well, I think you just need a Holiday or we say, Vacation for a week or two away
from the drum set!
You will come back re-freshed & opened minded...
Don't be impatient - It's the No.1 evil thing Drummers have to deal with...
Also try giving a listen to another type/style of music to broaden your arsenal....

Good Luck !

[Baddstuff]

I think both randrade89 and chazz are corrrect. Taking a short break to recharge your mental battery won't hurt and may help you come back with fresh ideas and a fresh approach. Also I do believe one gets to a point where progress slows considerably. Look at a bodybuilder, when he first starts lifting weights the gains come fairly quickly, but as he starts to build muscle mass even the smallest gains take longer. I think it's the same with drumming or any instrument for that matter.

[Buzter]

I reached a similar point at about the 7 yr. mark. Although, I had been well aquainted with rudiments I grew tired of my style and the music I was playing. I actually changed my approach to a degree. Although, I had played some jazz at that point I took more interest in learning more and developing better technique. It made a big difference. I would suggest just even a minor change in your approach would make a difference.

[razorx]

I can pretty much play along to anything I like. I just have to listen to it over and over and practice over and over. As far as not being able to jam by yourself/solo i hear ware you are coming from. I also agree with taking a break. Sometimes i come back refreshed and ready to go but sometimes it can work in reverse.

[hungrypo]

all the advice about taking a break is good. take a week or so away from the kit and you may find your frustration has eased and you can go back to playing relaxed.

when you ask if there are other drummers who are good playing in a band but not that great playing by themselves i think i count as one of them. i'm good at playing grooves, and my stick control is a comfortable level (it can always get better of course), but i'm definitely not a great soloist. i can play lots of different styles of music well when i play with other musicians, but i almost never take a solo. its just not my thing.

when i play by myself i usually practice grooves, independence exercises, and try to nail feels (cuban rhythms are my favourtie right now, but its tough to get the right swing, especially when you're not cuban), but i find i'm not that great with fills, so i dont play many, and i'm not an awesome soloist.

[JarodMaybern]

i've been playing for six years and i've just gotten over this problem. it was frustrating as anything too.

but i just took like a week break from the set, and just messed around with rudiments here and again. i didn't worry or think to much about my set or how it'd be when i came back. i just took a break.

Then after about a week and a half, bought a reggae cd cause they're drums have always kinda appealed to me and just tried to figure out their approach to timing and drums altogether. It helped alot but also thanks to my twin i learned to be patient and jump through the hoops(if you will) and learned to play some rudiments and work on my timing.

just a couple tips.

hope it helps and best of luck.

[Vipercussionist]

Hi everyone i've been playing drums for about 6 years now and i feel like i've hit a bench and i don't even think i'm very good, a lot of people say i am the best in the area but i honestly don't think i'm that good. I play decently in a band however when i'm jamming at home i really think my playing sucks and i'm so impatient that i can't be bothered to learn anything new like rudiments and things. It's frustrating. I guess what i want to ask people is, are you good in a band but not particularly good playing on your own? Are you good playing along to music but not so good just jamming to yourself? I feel after 6 years i should be a lot better and it's getting me down. It would be nice to know if someone feels the same way.Meh, that's just a plateau, you'll get by it like we all have. I'm personally going through that at the moment. It sucks but I know that good feeling will return and my drumming will again move forward.

[JT1]

I want to thank everyone for the advice and maybe you're right, a small break would to the trick i might also start playing some different music to open my mind up a bit. Thanks everyone, you have made me feel tonnes better =D drummerworld really is a great place.

[Jonesy]

Hi everyone i've been playing drums for about 6 years now and i feel like i've hit a bench and i don't even think i'm very good, a lot of people say i am the best in the area but i honestly don't think i'm that good. I play decently in a band however when i'm jamming at home i really think my playing sucks and i'm so impatient that i can't be bothered to learn anything new like rudiments and things. It's frustrating. I guess what i want to ask people is, are you good in a band but not particularly good playing on your own? Are you good playing along to music but not so good just jamming to yourself? I feel after 6 years i should be a lot better and it's getting me down. It would be nice to know if someone feels the same way.

Roughly a year ago I was in the exact same position as you. I was playing with bands that I thought I sounded pretty good in (so did other people), but I didn't feel like I had any "independence" - not in a physical way, but in a musical way. All I was doing was learning covers and writing originals, but the originals took a backseat in terms of effort put into them.

So, instead of giving you general advice, I'll just tell you exactly how I went about fixing my particular problem:

- Focus as much as possible on making your drum parts musical while eliminating fills that don't fit (this is very subjective, so I like to get consistent input from my band).

- Expand your musical tastes as wide as possible. (I developed a lot of respect for funk drumming when I listened to "Mellowship Slinky in B Major" by RHCP and realized that I couldn't play the song, knowing that the best funk drumming is even more difficult!)

- Identify your most glaring weaknesses (hand/foot technique, weak pocket playing, etc), find a good description on youtube (or here) of how to strengthen that technique, and focus intensely on it every time you play the drums.

Sorry for the long post, but I know how much this drumming-rut sucks and I'd love to make it easier for somebody else, haha. Good luck!

[baz]

...music is like sex.

you can do it solo, but it is always better with others.

If you think of your drumming as one ingredient in a recipe, you may put your playing in a different context. Onions by themself may be okay, but toss them in a stew, and they improve the overall taste. When you play with a band, you can hear how your playing compliments the song. When you play in your practice room, you are an onion in search of a stew.

Don't beat yourself up over this. If you know that your playing makes a positive contribution to your music, and that is what gives you the warm and fuzzies, be happy with that.

Good luck, and good drumming.

Barry

[SGT_Drummer]

...music is like sex.

you can do it solo, but it is always better with others.

If you think of your drumming as one ingredient in a recipe, you may put your playing in a different context. Onions by themself may be okay, but toss them in a stew, and they improve the overall taste. When you play with a band, you can hear how your playing compliments the song. When you play in your practice room, you are an onion in search of a stew.

Don't beat yourself up over this. If you know that your playing makes a positive contribution to your music, and that is what gives you the warm and fuzzies, be happy with that.

Good luck, and good drumming.

Barry



HAHAHA! Barry you are amazing at analogies (at least i think thats what those were, probably wrong though, but whatever the word is you're awesome at them!!)!! Back to the subject, first off yes taking a break will help. it you feel like you need more than a week then take more than a week. You'll go through this process time and time again throughout your drumming life, just remember how you get over it this time so you know what to do next time. You obviously have areas you feel like you need to improve on. So when you sit down behind the set again, figure out what you don't know and what thing you would most like to learn is. whether it be soloing, or double pedal technique, pick up the moeler techinique, if you play jazz try country or rock styles, search youtube for some good learning videos, randomly click on some of the names on drummerworld's main page then go find a video of them playing. there are always new things to do. i'm sure even dave weckl or steve gadd sit down from time to time and try to learn something new. hope it helps!

[brittc89]

I play decently in a band however when i'm jamming at home i really think my playing sucks and i'm so impatient that i can't be bothered to learn anything new like rudiments and things. It's frustrating.

Thats the issue right there. It sounds like you need to go back to the basics and fundamentals and really work things out. It can be a downer if you approach it the wrong way, but if youre enthusiastic and try to enjoy it, just realize itll really help make your playing solid. Make the basics sound great so you can have a solid foundation to build upon.

[Mark Ahle]

...music is like sex.

Amen.

Man, you dont think your getting better but your timing and creativity really does progress, even though you don't realize it.

-MarkyMark

[Disco Stu]

I don't have any advice to offer, but I can relate. I've been playing far longer than six years, and people compliment me on my drumming, but I am often very unsatisfied with my playing ability. It's partly because I am a perfectionist, and partly because many other drummers just blow me out of the water. But the plain truth is I am into drumming, so I will keep doing it whether I think I am playing well or not.

[trkdrmr]

...music is like sex.


...You need to have a variety or it gets old?
...You get excellent results with the rhythm method?
...If you do it right, you are really sweaty afterward?
...They both have introduction, bridge, crescendo and coda?
...Both require endurance to work well

>ahem<

DVD's are a superb way to get you over the plateau. They give you all kinds of new practice routines and techniques to get better. They are also very inspiring. I know when I got stuck in a rut that I could focus on the weak areas just by following expert instruction.

[baz]

HAHAHA! Barry you are amazing at analogies (at least i think thats what those were, probably wrong though, but whatever the word is you're awesome at them!!)!! Back to the subject, first off yes taking a break will help. it you feel like you need more than a week then take more than a week. You'll go through this process time and time again throughout your drumming life, just remember how you get over it this time so you know what to do next time. You obviously have areas you feel like you need to improve on. So when you sit down behind the set again, figure out what you don't know and what thing you would most like to learn is. whether it be soloing, or double pedal technique, pick up the moeler techinique, if you play jazz try country or rock styles, search youtube for some good learning videos, randomly click on some of the names on drummerworld's main page then go find a video of them playing. there are always new things to do. i'm sure even dave weckl or steve gadd sit down from time to time and try to learn something new. hope it helps!

...Thanks Sarge.

Great to see that you are still with us.

Keep on posting, and remember to duck.

barry

[Mikecore]

Around the six year mark I was more interested in building a model railroad than the drums, although I was still active as far as music was concerned. The thing is, I was not over- involving myself to the point of burnout in any one thing, so I had balance. Stuff like this tends to happen in waves anyway, and sometimes it's just best to leave something be while you pursue some other passion, and when the streak for THAT runs out you switch back (or to whatever else floats your boat).

It wasn't too long before my buddy let me borrow his copy of Rush's "A Show of Hands" video and I was into my dreaded "Neil Peart Phase" (Yes, I capitalized Phase. We have named this stupid phenomenon). It would take Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson to snap me out of THAT!

All of this was 15 or so years ago, and since then I have cycled between drumming and non-drumming obsessions a few more times. It's all part of the deal, but I'm still with it after 25 years.

[mrchattr]

All of these suggestions about taking a break are really great. When I was learning the drums (oh, who am I kidding, I still am, we all are, but more to the point, around your stage), I did this a few times, and it really helped.

The other thing (and I struggle with this now from time to time) is that if you are playing with one band, and your focus is always on that music, or learning stuff that is similar to that style (like playing along with your favorite bands, but they are the same style), you can get in a major, major rut. Major. You know the songs, you know the ins and outs of that style, so you just go through the motions. I'm gigging on average 3-4 times a week right now, and practicing 2 times a week with the same groups. I spend 21-25 hours a week making music with the same guitarist, and am joined for most of that by the same bass player as well. It's awesome, it pays well, and I'm living my dream, but at the same time, it is hard to avoid ruts.

My advice to avoid that is start playing with some other people, preferably in a different style. Even if it's just a fun jam every once in a while, it will really help you out, help you refocus on what you need to do, and satiate that need to actually LISTEN to the music you play, as opposed to just DOING it.

[ermghoti]

I would think a few lessons with a good instructor wouldn't hurt a bit. He could identify weak points in your playing, and force you out of your comfort zone. I find that paying for the lesson causes my focus to increase a bit as well, I want to get my money's worth.

[JT1]

All of these ideas are great, i must say i have been hankering to try some new styles out and force me out of my comfort zone so i may look into some funk lessons or even some reggae. I think part of the problem is too that at home i can't play my full kit, i can't use cymbals and i have to put practice pads over my drums (for neighbours) so i don't get the same feel of playing live, this can be really frustrating. Also i can only play for an hour at a time 4 times a week if i'm lucky and i would love to be able to play a lot longer. I have also been thinking of things i really want to learn and I've always wanted to dissect a difficult song into parts and learn it bit by bit so i may start doing this now. I wish life was easy especially as a musician. Thanks everyone for the kind suggestions if anyone has any others please keep posting them here, you can never have too many ideas.

Many thanks indeed =D

JT

[Art Vandelay]

I am in almost the exact scenario as you, I've been playing for about as long and am constantly battling with comparing myself to other drummers. I've found it to be really negative if you let yourself get down about seeing a 12 yr old kid rip it up then, if you're like me, struggle to put together a nice fast, loud, tight double stroke roll.

You see early on in high school (I'm 24 now) I took lessons and was never given the chance to learn a proper double stroke, so now I'm on the road to doing so. As I went to university I was unable to have my kit so I fell out of playing quite a bit, picked up the guitar, did some practice pad stuff, but really didn't consider myself a decent drummer anymore. For the past 8 months or so, since I've been finished school and back at home with my kits, I've made a concerted effort to get back to a comfortable level of playing, and I believe I have accomplished that while also beginning to work on new things that I really should have learned from the start. Now that I've spent 6 or so years getting to this level of mediocrity it is very difficult to not get discouraged and become impatient again.

For me guys like Mike Johnston (mikeslessons.com) and Jojo Mayer's latest dvd have really helped me get back into the mood for learning and developing new techniques. I'm sitting down and slowly learning rudiments, my double stroke is coming along, as well as five stroke rolls and I continue to work on triplets and paraddidles (the only thing I got out of my early lessons). In your case, since your full kit playing is limited you may need to try your hardest to put together a practice routine for the practice pad and try and go over it every day. I've been doing this off and on (not the greatest discipline) for about 4 months and it really does work, it's just boring and frustrating sometimes, especially when you're undisciplined like me.

I find it to be an ongoing battle, some days/weeks you feel great and confident about your abilities, then some weeks (perhaps the week before an important gig) your confidence falters...One thing I've accepted is that countless drummers will blow me out of the water but if you're having fun playing in a band and your fellow musicians dig it then there's no need to worry about 'who's better' or who can solo best, I say there's plenty of time to learn solos but before that every drummer should be solid with the basics- and take it from me, it seems like it could take a long a$$ time, cheers
-AV

[JT1]

I am in almost the exact scenario as you, I've been playing for about as long and am constantly battling with comparing myself to other drummers. I've found it to be really negative if you let yourself get down about seeing a 12 yr old kid rip it up then, if you're like me, struggle to put together a nice fast, loud, tight double stroke roll.

You see early on in high school (I'm 24 now) I took lessons and was never given the chance to learn a proper double stroke, so now I'm on the road to doing so. As I went to university I was unable to have my kit so I fell out of playing quite a bit, picked up the guitar, did some practice pad stuff, but really didn't consider myself a decent drummer anymore. For the past 8 months or so, since I've been finished school and back at home with my kits, I've made a concerted effort to get back to a comfortable level of playing, and I believe I have accomplished that while also beginning to work on new things that I really should have learned from the start. Now that I've spent 6 or so years getting to this level of mediocrity it is very difficult to not get discouraged and become impatient again.

For me guys like Mike Johnston (mikeslessons.com) and Jojo Mayer's latest dvd have really helped me get back into the mood for learning and developing new techniques. I'm sitting down and slowly learning rudiments, my double stroke is coming along, as well as five stroke rolls and I continue to work on triplets and paraddidles (the only thing I got out of my early lessons). In your case, since your full kit playing is limited you may need to try your hardest to put together a practice routine for the practice pad and try and go over it every day. I've been doing this off and on (not the greatest discipline) for about 4 months and it really does work, it's just boring and frustrating sometimes, especially when you're undisciplined like me.

I find it to be an ongoing battle, some days/weeks you feel great and confident about your abilities, then some weeks (perhaps the week before an important gig) your confidence falters...One thing I've accepted is that countless drummers will blow me out of the water but if you're having fun playing in a band and your fellow musicians dig it then there's no need to worry about 'who's better' or who can solo best, I say there's plenty of time to learn solos but before that every drummer should be solid with the basics- and take it from me, it seems like it could take a long a$$ time, cheers
-AV

Hey man thanks for the reply, you seem just like me i'm so undisciplined when it comes to practicing lol. I used to do routines like paradiddles and double strokes on a practice pad and then i would just totally fall out of it within a week or so. I need to be more strict i think and this is one thing i am going to work on improving. I never had lessons and i was a really quick learner. Now all i ever seem to do is double bass which i am fairly good at but my feet are now faster than my hands lol. One problem i have with rudiments is that i can never seem to apply them to the kit, i can do the 6 stroke roll fairly fast and this developed out of me being forced to play a drumbeat that i had no idea how to play so it kind of just happened but as for everything else it seems that i'm left clueless when to use them. Anyway yeah there's a lot of stuff about my practice routine i need to change and i think you're right when you say you need discipline. Thanks for the advice!

[Pretzel Logic]

This sounds like something that happened to me. For me it was a problem of motivation, if yours is rooted in something different, disregard my advice.
I went through my drumming mid-life crisis pretty early on. I basically got really comfortable playing with a band to where I could get by just playing almost any 8th note groove and simple fills. People told me I was a great drummer. The reason people liked playing with me was because unlike a lot of the chopzilla drummers my age, I listened to what was going on in the music. I came to the realization that listening is the most important part of drumming. I was content being a mediocre individual drummer but being able to play with people. All of this changed when I decided to try and play jazz...
At first it was the most discouraging thing I have ever done on drums. It was like playing a different instrument. The fact that I couldn't do it frustrated me to the point that I felt I had to practice constantly and think about it constantly. Jazz also really encouraged me to go back and learn rudiments and other things that I didn't think were important enough to bother with in rock (yes, I realize that was a stupid attitude). Jazz has helped my timing, chops, speed, ears, dynamics, polyrhythmic comprehension, and groove (don't forget the left foot :D). I started jazz a little over a year ago and I don't think I've ever made a better decision in drumming.

Sorry if this isn't helpful, I just wanted to share my personal experience with the same (I think) problem. And I'm not even saying you should play jazz. I just think that jumping balls deep into another style is very helpful to any kind of drummer. In fact, if you can, I would recommend something other than jazz. Jazz drumming was (and still is) very disheartening. I feel like the more I learn, the less I know (sorry if that doesn't make sense XD). Good Luck!

[drummingdunc]

Glad it's not just me! I've ben playing for around 10yrs now but had a break of 4 yrs where I couldn't play because of work ( I was always on the move, etc). Now I've got back into it and pardon the cliche, but it is like riding a bike! I'm still as bad as I was back then!!!

I've joined a couple of bands, one is a rock covers band that is great for just having fun and playing simply, the other is a progressive black metal band.
I am way out of my comfort zone with these guys. They are a new band so we are writing songs from scratch, and the annoying thing is I know what I want to play, just can't achieve it. I struggle speedwise (feet and hands), technically (getting to grips with compound time signatures etc), it's a beast! Sometimes it gets depressing, other times it drives me to be a better player.

But I am improving. Every practice I notice I can play a fill a little bit tighter, or I can maintain the double bass steadily for a bit longer. Small improvements that nobody else probably notices but that mean loads to me.

So definitely push yourself. As others have said, explore other genres, but get involved in them too! Don't just buy a reggae CD, join a reggae band! I've been into metal for ages but never got into black metal. Since joining this band I've heard some amazing music and have never been so determined to improve my drumming.

And yes, rudiments are boring but worthwhile. I've never really practiced them for any length of time, like you my discipline is terrible. I wish I had listened to my drum teacher when I was in school and spent 5 minutes a day on basic rudiments. I would be awesome now if I had!

[diosdude]

Hi everyone i've been playing drums for about 6 years now and i feel like i've hit a bench and i don't even think i'm very good, a lot of people say i am the best in the area but i honestly don't think i'm that good. I play decently in a band however when i'm jamming at home i really think my playing sucks and i'm so impatient that i can't be bothered to learn anything new like rudiments and things. It's frustrating. I guess what i want to ask people is, are you good in a band but not particularly good playing on your own? Are you good playing along to music but not so good just jamming to yourself? I feel after 6 years i should be a lot better and it's getting me down. It would be nice to know if someone feels the same way.


If many people say you're the best around, but you know that you aren't very good, that's called humility and it can be the fuel to make you want to learn and get better. Go take some lessons from a qualified teacher and use the internet as a resource to learn more.