Days where you can't play anything

[Talismanis]

Does anybody else get these? I don't know if it's because I'm tired or what, but every now and then I'll just get a day when I'm really tense around the kit and I just feel like I can't play drums.
Discuss!

[dmacc]

There are days where I just don't feel like practicing/playing whatsoever. Those are troublesome because with "life" happening around me at all times, I already have limited time but I listen to my mood and just stay away. It's rare though to have this happen.

Also, if I'm really tired - I don't even bother because I know there's no focus in me to getting anything accomplished.

[inneedofgrace]

I've had gigs where I could do no wrong, and then gigs where everything seemed to be a struggle. We are human. Kind of like how a baseball pitcher can pitch a no-hitter one night and then get rocked the next time.

[ageadm]

Happened to me and trust me, it's natural. Don't worry, just skip the day you don't feel like practicing and do it the next day.

[JBoom]

I can't remember where I heard this, but some drummer at one time said something to the effect of "you're never as bad as you think on bad days and you're never as good as you think on good days."

Keep in balanced and never force yourself. If it isn't happening for you, step back and do something else (and understand that it wasn't as bad as it felt, you just needed a break).

[drstrangefunk]

i hate it when that happens.

[GRUNTERSDAD]

I'll go along with the tired reason. Friday evenings are impossible for me, so I don't bother. The week of work takes it toll

[8Mile]

Oh, yeah. I had one just last weekend at band practice. Hopefully, this doesn't happen to me at my gig this week.

[SergiuM]

It happens, and i hate it. I feel all sluggish and clumsy and uncreative.. Gahh!! But i do find that taking a break from drums for a few days makes you feel refreshed when you get back on it.

[thintheherd]

I think it happens to most of us. What I do, provided I still REALLY want to play, is get away from the kit and immerse myself, with headphones, in some songs with drum riffs I absolutely LOVE.

Soon I just can't wait to get behind the kit and play along. Absolutely changes everything.

Still, there are days where nothing works no matter what. Hate that. Try again tomorrow.

[mxo721]

oh yeh....I get those days for sure..the worst is the ones where I think, I'm going to play my drums right now...all fired up, and I just fall apart..it's one thing to be tired and not in the mood...but when I WANT to play drums and can't..that hurts, and then some times, I don't care one way or the other and it just comes together so well. that's all that keeps my going, those really good days.

[JBoom]

Originally Posted by mxo721

oh yeh....I get those days for sure..the worst is the ones where I think, I'm going to play my drums right now...all fired up, and I just fall apart..it's one thing to be tired and not in the mood...but when I WANT to play drums and can't..that hurts, and then some times, I don't care one way or the other and it just comes together so well. that's all that keeps my going, those really good days.

Some might suggest that this is a matter of expectation vs. reality. The problem is that we have control over neither in any given moment.

But now I'm getting all philosophical . . .

[Numberless]

Yep, usually if I feel tired or not in the mood then I don't force it because it won't come out anyways. Luckily this almost never happens, I do make sure to take at least one day off every week so that I don't burn out. I also find myself tired the day after a gig.

[Flareless]

Sometimes for me a body part takes a vacation from thinking. The other night during practice for some reason my right foot decided it was done for the night. The rest of my body could bang happily away but the foot was not going to cooperate after the 3rd song.

I sometimes don't feel like playing due to real-life stuff too. Let's face it, how many people enjoy jamming after a dust-up with their significant other. Or after getting off the phone with the Tax-Man? If I'm in a crappy mood I feel a lot less like playing. This is reflected in the quality of my playing.

[Sinmara]

it's very annoying - I don't have that much time to practice, and sometimes - after a tough day at work - I sit down at the drums and nothing will work, it's a struggle and I don't enjoy it. I do 15 minutes of basic practice but I let it rest after that.

[Mark_S]

Yes - it happened last night at band practise. I don't think anyone really noticed, but nothing felt good. Even the weight and balance of the stick in my left hand felt all wrong. It was a big surprise as I've really been "on it" recently at practices and gigs, but nothing would flow last night. I was really tired so maybe that didn't help.

I kept playing with the set up, adjusting heights, etc. - I left feeling very depressed!

[bennyboyt]

As we practice at night, the last hour I'm just too hot/tired and I go to pieces, really frustrating but I know there's nothing I can do about it.

[mikeyhanson]

It can be frustrating, but don't beat yourself up over it. It happens, especially at times when you're doing something scheduled like band practice as opposed to just going over to your drums and playing them in your room by yourself. And if you didn't eat well that day, it'll show. And if you aren't rested or you're stressed out, it'll show.
For me, I like to be in a zone, even if it's just a little zone. Just a "I'm gonna play for a bit" zone. No pressure, just knock around on the kit for a bit. However, if I notice my motors aren't running together, I take a minute and do the stretches that I likely forgot, then try again.

If it's a lack of motivation, then I listen to music in the headphones, grab a drum and a rag, and get to cleaning. By the time I'm done I'm usually ready to get back at it.

Don't beat yourself up.

[cp84]

if i don't feel like playing then i find something that will inspire me. Then i always want to play!

find ways to trick yourself into wanting to play.