Post Your Greatest Weakness ?
- Thread starter Lee Mangano
- Start date
paistemage
Senior Member
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.
Technique wise, doing really complex jazz stuff.
specgrade
Well-known Member
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.
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
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
Junior Member
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
Junior Member
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
Silver Member
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....
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
Junior Member
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
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
hawksmoor
Senior Member
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.
Lee Mangano
Senior Member
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...
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!
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.
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
Senior Member
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.
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!
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]
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
Junior Member
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.
That and my left hand, it's getting there, slowly but surely.