What Do I Practice? HELP!

Nathan L

Nathan L

Junior Member
I've been playing for a little over a year now at an average of around 2-3 hours a day behind the kit. I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to get into some more technical aspects of playing, but obviously not the real insane stuff. For example, I can play the rudiments, and they are slowly getting faster, and I can do simple double bass/open-close hat rythms, but none of that alone makes me a good drummer. Now, I realize I shouldn't be seeing overnight changes in my ability, but I'm not sure what I should be practicing. Right now, I jam in 3, 4, and 5 with my mentronome most of the time, and I also spend a large portion jamming to my iPod. I'm in a couple different bands, and I play in a bar about every 2 weeks, so those are the songs I normally practice. But what do I do to improve now? How do I improve general speed and accuracy? How can I practice when I'm not behind the kit? Any information is greatly appreciated!
 
Nathan L said:
I've been playing for a little over a year now ... I can play the rudiments, and they are slowly getting faster, and I can do simple double bass/open-close hat rythms ... I jam in 3, 4, and 5 with my mentronome most of the time ... I'm in a couple different bands, and I play in a bar about every 2 weeks ...
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Nathan, with that kind of progress after just one measly year of playing I'm tempted to say just keep doing what you're doing.

It might be worth seeing a teacher to check your grip and movements - getting that right is important if you want to open up your potential (take it from someone who didn't).
 
Pollyanna said:
Nathan, with that kind of progress after just one measly year of playing I'm tempted to say just keep doing what you're doing.

It might be worth seeing a teacher to check your grip and movements - getting that right is important if you want to open up your potential (take it from someone who didn't).
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Haha, I think I failed to specify what kind of bands I play in. We play in bars, but the stuff we play is very simple stuff. I'm in a program called the Academy of Rock. It's a place where teenagers with musical interest like myself are put into bands and get a chance to play in front of an audience. In other words, sometimes it can be really bad. At this point I really just feel like a kid with some sticks.
 
I teach at a studio that is probably very similar to the place you where you play. There are lots of lessons to be learned while playing with a group in front of people, that are difficult, if not impossible, to teach in a private lesson, but there are also other ways to challenge yourself. Play your parts as best you can, and to a high level of detail. Writing your own drum charts can't hurt, and will probably deepen your understanding of the things you already know. Practice all of your material to a metronome, and play to a metronome while rehearsing with the group if possible.

If you're doing all of this, and you still don't feel challenged, then seek out or create other experiences. Join a marching band or drum line (and watch how quickly your rudiments come together!), or ask about other opportunities at your academy to play different music, like blues and jazz. Take some piano or guitar lessons, learn some music theory!

Bottom line is that sometimes you have to create your challenges if you want to improve. Good luck!
 
Hey -
Regarding what to practice......
You're working on the rudiments, so that is good. I think that the most important things for beginners to work on are:

-technique with both hands and feet.
-reading....(you need to know the language so you can learn faster....)
-independence
-fill vocabulary
-grooves and time feel

One thing to remember is that most of the time, when we're playing with other people, we're playing beats/keeping time. Seriously.....like 90 percent of the time. Therefore it makes sense to allocate your time accordingly. The better your time feel, the more other people will want to play with you.

Hope this is helpful.
Regards,
Mark F.

http://www.bangthedrumschool.com
 
This may not be considered the shiniest of advice in the technique forum, but I found listening to other drummers(and youtube'ing a lot) and discovering new music helped me be more creative in practice-- as far as what to practice. If you hear a lick you like maybe you play it on the pad and vary it a little bit and sparks fly
 
I believe you said you were a prog rock fan in other posts?
If so, you could try one of Gavin Harrison's books. I'm currently working through his first and its great stuff. Challenging material, and very technical.

Sorry if I'm getting you confused with someone else lol.
 
Nathan L said:
For example, I can play the rudiments, and they are slowly getting faster
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What do you exactly mean by this? Can you, for example, play inverted double strokes starting with the left hand around the kit in a somewhat musical way at 72 bpm? Or maybe inverted paradiddles as eighth note triplets in groove context (paying extreme attention to dynamics - accents with the shoulder on the edge of the hi-hat and ghost notes with the tip on the top for example)? How are your swiss triplets around the kit? Did you get those Gadd ratamacues working on the toms?
There is a lot of work there...
 
Nathan L said:
I've been playing for a little over a year now at an average of around 2-3 hours a day behind the kit. I'm getting to the point where I'm ready to get into some more technical aspects of playing, but obviously not the real insane stuff. For example, I can play the rudiments, and they are slowly getting faster, and I can do simple double bass/open-close hat rythms, but none of that alone makes me a good drummer. Now, I realize I shouldn't be seeing overnight changes in my ability, but I'm not sure what I should be practicing. Right now, I jam in 3, 4, and 5 with my mentronome most of the time, and I also spend a large portion jamming to my iPod. I'm in a couple different bands, and I play in a bar about every 2 weeks, so those are the songs I normally practice. But what do I do to improve now? How do I improve general speed and accuracy? How can I practice when I'm not behind the kit? Any information is greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...

Get a teacher. Look far and wide, and pay a little more than you can afford.
 
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