Duck Tape
Platinum Member
This is one that got me thinking and apologies for the badly constructed thread - I was in a bit of a hurry. I hope I don't sound too FOS or like I'm bragging, because that's totally not the point.
I recorded myself playing in 2011 and for a couple of years after, I could see that I was playing different things but I didn't sound BETTER than I did in 2011.
Just lately I've been hearing drumming (mine and others) a bit differently, I've been practicing and playing so much recently that I feel like I've grown and it all sounds a little bit simpler to me, like I can see the forest from the trees. Now that footage from 2011 is sounding a bit dull and I know I have definitely gotten better since then.
I think that if you want to really improve you have to immerse yourself in drumming to the point of saturation and that's both good and bad. Some things about drumming aren't as exciting for me lately but I think that might be what prompts us to search for new ways to improve.
Over the last few days I thought I was hearing myself playing badly but then I think I realized I sound worse because my ears have gotten better. For quite some time I'd been playing through certain exercises that were a bit complicated, and I was so content that I was able to play them that I couldn't hear that I was playing them badly. Crap feel, dynamics, bad control etc.
Anyway I've been having a few milestones lately and I thought it would be interesting to hear from everyone else on how they think they know they're getting better. I've been playing for 16 years and I know there are guys here that have been playing for 50, so it would be cool to hear from those experienced players. It's a weird question too.
I'll throw a few in.
How you know you're getting better at the drums:
- Things you were happy to be able to play are no longer fulfilling
- When you play out, people dance to your playing
- Mike Portnoy isn't your hero anymore
- You can play up tempo stuff and stay relaxed
I recorded myself playing in 2011 and for a couple of years after, I could see that I was playing different things but I didn't sound BETTER than I did in 2011.
Just lately I've been hearing drumming (mine and others) a bit differently, I've been practicing and playing so much recently that I feel like I've grown and it all sounds a little bit simpler to me, like I can see the forest from the trees. Now that footage from 2011 is sounding a bit dull and I know I have definitely gotten better since then.
I think that if you want to really improve you have to immerse yourself in drumming to the point of saturation and that's both good and bad. Some things about drumming aren't as exciting for me lately but I think that might be what prompts us to search for new ways to improve.
Over the last few days I thought I was hearing myself playing badly but then I think I realized I sound worse because my ears have gotten better. For quite some time I'd been playing through certain exercises that were a bit complicated, and I was so content that I was able to play them that I couldn't hear that I was playing them badly. Crap feel, dynamics, bad control etc.
Anyway I've been having a few milestones lately and I thought it would be interesting to hear from everyone else on how they think they know they're getting better. I've been playing for 16 years and I know there are guys here that have been playing for 50, so it would be cool to hear from those experienced players. It's a weird question too.
I'll throw a few in.
How you know you're getting better at the drums:
- Things you were happy to be able to play are no longer fulfilling
- When you play out, people dance to your playing
- Mike Portnoy isn't your hero anymore
- You can play up tempo stuff and stay relaxed