So I have my drumset at my friends house.

[MSPaintClock]

(This is very tl;dr and a lot of rambling. I tried outlining the important bits)

I have a new band with my friends. I have my drum kit over there so I don't have to lug it over back and forth. It's a bit lazy, but everyone knows that feeling.

Anyway, I want to be really good and I want to be able to endorse drum products, play with a band but I feel that I won't get good enough on time. What I mean by that is that eventually I'll have to get a real job, have to drum less, take on more responsibilities and I feel if I don't get good now I'm going to get trapped; and I won't be able to live any of those dreams.

I really want to obtain those dreams, my problem is that I've only been playing for two years. I want to have a practice schedule of minimum four hours a day. I do about three. Today I did six hours and plan on making it eight. Mostly single stroke rolls, I'm trying to get a clean, fast roll. Trying to play it loud, soft and I'm trying to build that endurance.

Today I also realized that if I want to play gospel chops and stuff I'm going to need to learn inverted paradiddles like RLLR and RRLR and internalize them like gospel chop players do. So I started doing that.

I wanted to learn punk before so I joined a band.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12XAygEm3s4

Any have any criticism for this by the way?

I'm done with punk and I'm starting into Jazz. My teacher David Jennings says that I play it really well and he seemed impressed, I mean I really like it but I'm only comping on the snare and playing basic jazz pattern. I'm pretty impressed with myself too to be honest, I like to play with dynamics alot and when I mess up the comping I like to keep the jazz pattern and the hi-hat going. It's a lot of fun. Should I join jazz band?

After that I want to get into gospel chops and learn latin. I want to start playing a marimba too, but I don't have a drive for that, I just want to be able to do it.

ANYWAYYYY

Do I have time to get good at all of this stuff while developing a unique style? I've only been playing for two years and I'm nineteen now. I want tips, advice, words of encouragement please

[nosta001]

Bro i know exactly how you feel, I use to have my drums set up at the Church i go to cuz they didn't have a set. I've been working for a while now so i got use to playing and working. But when i moved my set over to the Church it limited my time playing.
The only time i could play was with the band and i really couldn't play when ever i felt like it. It was a huge bummer and that was also the time i started playing a lot more Gospel Chops in the songs. i had to practice that and learn new songs ever practice which was like twice a week for about 2 hours each. I just kept at it and prayed to God that i wouldn't mess up during service. I got threw it and of course i messed up from time to time but you just learn to play it off.
-My advice would be just keep at it, you have to do what ya got to do. When you get use to gettin 4 hours+ then have to cut that down it can be a real strain but if your dedicated and passionate about the drums you'll learn to make everymoment behind your drums just that more important. You'll be very suprised on what you can do under the right conditions!!!

[Moldy]

Keep practicing, but honestly, a job and other responsibilities won't keep you from your passion. Sure, it'll be a bit slower, but if your heart is into it, you will find a way to succeed.

However, don't go get married and have a kid; then you are truly tied down and likely to have little time or money for drumming :P

[oops]

A couple of points that stood out to me:

YES, join a jazz band, it's going to be a good learning experience. Any band at all should be good learning experience at this point in your career.

Keep taking lessons, keep working on everything possible. If you're not feeling pushed by what David Jenkins is teaching you, search out a new teacher.

I would worry about just practicing single strokes. Work more on groove, time, feel etc. The singles are great as a warmup and a technique exercise, but chops are only a means to an end, which should be playing musically.

Otherwise, keep it up. Don't worry about being a monster by 25, Gadd only hit the prime of his playing in his 30s.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

At your age and experience don't expect any endorsements. Your job as an endorsee is to sell their product not just to get free goods. If you aren't known you probably won't be seen by many people, therefore the advertising dollar won't be well spent. There is a great article in the latest DRUMHEAD magazine on this topic. Find it, read it, and for now make it the last of your priorities.

[Ainulindale]

probably do good to ALWAYS be in a band, of any kind - playing, practicing and learning how to work in a band - the band is the job, best way to improve at any job is to get to work doing it...

ever thought of a cheap practice pad style kit right at home, you can pick 'em up brand new for only 150$, i'm guessing used they'd be real cheap, they're small too so you could set it up right in your bedroom if you had to - cheap and quiet - best way to practice...

and GRUNTERSDAD made a good point, you need to be somebody before you get all the cool free stuff - the oldest catch there is - those in need often go without... that and your first priority should be a stable band and or gig, then the women, the money and the fame ;-)

don't worry to much, remember that this is your dream ( it is, is'nt it???) and the journey should be a memorable and enjoyable one...

good luck man!

[Monica McCoy]

You've been playing 2 years and you don't know your diddles?! That's tragic.

[JT1]

Well i don't know if you have a part time job or not but a great solution to your problem would be to buy a rather cheap drum set, and keep one at home and one at your friends, whichever. The Arbeiter Flats kit or Pearl rhythm traveller look especially ideal. As for having a job, i work 9 till 5 and when i get home to get behind the kit, that 1 hour becomes the best hour of my day and i savour every moment of playing. I used to just play things randomly and jam with myself but now i'm actually learning things whether it be from songs or a cool groove i have in my head but can't play yet. Unfortunately i do not get bogged down in practice routines, i usually pick parts of songs that will be beneficial to my playing overall and that will allow me to do new creative things.

I shouldn't worry like somebody here already said, you'll still find time for your passion and just count yourself lucky, a lot of people don't get to play for 2 hours a day never mind 4 or 8!

[jer]

Focus on what you can accomplish rather than put up all these "walls" for yourself. You state what you want to do, but follow up with every obstacle that's going to prevent you from doing it, why?

My advice, set attainable goals for yourself - you want to join a jazz band, set that as your goal rather than becoming "really good", your playing is going to progress towards that bigger goal by default. Don't concern yourself with the big picture, concern yourself with all the pieces that go together to make that big picture.

Why so concerned about time? You are 19 - you've got all the time in the world. Without sounding cheesy, you are in control of your destiny. If you choose to follow your dreams of playing drums, there is nothing stopping you from working towards that. If you value getting a "good" job and building a home and family, I suggest re-assessing your goals in life, not just drumming.

I'm 31, have been playing for 20 years and I've realized that the only thing that's ever stopped me from continuing following my dreams and passion has been myself and any hurdles I put in front of me. In my early 20's, I lost focus - I kinda slipped into the whole "got to get a job, build capital, increase assets, etc..." mode, problem was, I couldn't figure out why I'd want all this if I wasn't doing something I loved? The past few years have been spent breaking down these hurdles, getting out of debt, finding a job that will allow me to focus on my music and allow me to travel. I've toured more in the past year that I have in the 20 leading up to it, and I can't help but feel it's because I stopped making excuses and just went for it. I'll be doing my first international tour this winter, simply because myself (and my band mates), focused on what it will take to do it rather than what's going to stop us.

Anywho, as far as practicing goes, don't kill yourself if you don't feel you aren't doing enough of it, just focus on the time you do have and make the most of it.

Ainulindale nailed it with "the journey should be ....an enjoyable one...". Never stop having fun with it - you could be the best drummer in the world, doing clinics around the globe, touring non-stop with a band, but if you didn't love what you are doing, why would you want that? You could be a weekend warrior in a cover band and having the best time ever, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that as long as you are happy.

Don't get me wrong, set the bar high - you owe it to yourself to, but if you set it too high, and never reach the goal - you'll look back on a life of regret rather than that of accomplishments.

[MSPaintClock]

You've been playing 2 years and you don't know your diddles?! That's tragic.

Who said I didn't? I know how to do my diddles, I have the stick control book but I want to make them lightning fast and have more control so I'm doing a lot of focus on paradiddles and singles.

Does anyone here know anyone who played with navy band? OR any other military band?

[freebirdgdw]

You've been playing 2 years and you don't know your diddles?! That's tragic.

Mine are awful and Ive played 6 years. Zak Starkey only just learnt them too. Not saying I'm proud of it or anything but I have fun doing what I do.