Trouble practicing every day

recently, i set a practice pad on the table in the room where the tv is. now while i'm watching tv, i play rudiments and play along to music coming from the tv. the pad is quiet enough that i can hear the tv ok. i still practice every day that i can on my kit with no other distractions, but i think the practice pad has helped me.
 
Playing along to songs is really fun.

And better yet, jam with friends if you can.

That should get you to want to play.
 
I'd REALLY appreciate it if anyone who's been in the same boat submit something, I've tried just starting out of nowhere and it never works. Any advice or a program to just get into the habit of practicing everyday or being more organized would be great


Last Wednesday I had a class with an 11 year old student. We have been working toward an audition piece for a school he wishes to join. It is just a simple snare drum solo to show his reading skills and technique.

The class turned into a discussion about what he really wants to do. He does not practice the piece at all away from class. He seemed dejected. So I asked him "What do you want from drums? Do you want it to be a hobby at this time, you are only 11 and have plenty of time to get serious later."

I asked him to have a think about what he wants to do. I am happy to accomodate him as long as he's enjoying himself and progressing. The rate of progression is not an issue.


There are many ways to go about something such as drumming. There was a thread a while ago about insane amounts of practice in which I spoke of my own obsession with practice. In many ways it has both helped and hurt me. I have a fanatical personality when it comes to any kind of trainning or practice. Sure, I have developed what many call a high level of technical ability, but I think I made truly idiotic choices to achieve this. Such as avoiding marriage because of fear a family would hinder my practice time. For the same reason I never owned a computer until this computer was given to me by a frustrated bass player who wanted to email me tunes to learn.

Mine is a way I do not really recommend. I am pretty happy and drum for a living but believe I have some personality problems dealing with people. I am happy when dealing with students and people in the drum industry. But I tend to avoid what could be called "normal" people. I often lose contact with friends because I am shut in a room practicing. I simply forget about them.

My point is that you may not have as big a problem as you think. Try to just find a balance that makes you happy. Drumming is supposed to be fun.

I wish you luck.
 
I think I made truly idiotic choices to achieve this. Such as avoiding marriage because of fear a family would hinder my practice time.

Some would say that marriage itself was an idiotic life choice ... plenty of those would be married. Marriage is a good life choice if you find someone who remains compatible over the long term - part of that is good judgement and relationship management, part of it's plain dumb luck.

A song for the OP (and you :) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd88CdcZ88U
 
Last Wednesday I had a class with an 11 year old student. We have been working toward an audition piece for a school he wishes to join. It is just a simple snare drum solo to show his reading skills and technique.

The class turned into a discussion about what he really wants to do. He does not practice the piece at all away from class. He seemed dejected. So I asked him "What do you want from drums? Do you want it to be a hobby at this time, you are only 11 and have plenty of time to get serious later."

I asked him to have a think about what he wants to do. I am happy to accomodate him as long as he's enjoying himself and progressing. The rate of progression is not an issue.

I wish you luck.

Be interested to see what he comes back with as an answer.

From my own pespective as a kid I had a very old teacher who sat me in front of a snare drum and got me doing rudiments, I just sat there and thought why do I want to learn this s*-t I don't want to be in a marching band I want to be a rock drummer with a kit not just a poxy snare drum. Needless to say I had about 3 lessons and packed it in as I didn't feel I was learning anything I'd ever use.
Now if he had of sat in front of a kit and said learn this it's a 6 stroke roll or ratamacue and then shown me an amassing fill that blew my socks off using those rudiments you can bet I would have been desperate to practice to practice them all day long.
Lets face it playing rudimenst for hours isn't motivational in itself you need the carrot and my biggest criticism of all the teachers I've ever had (including piano, trombone euphonium so not just drums) is they tell you to practice something but they don't explain why nor show you where it leads so the carrot just isn't there, it's only as you get older (dare I say wiser) that the realisation sets in.
 
Great suggestions here! Everyone gets in a slump now and then. I love the check list from Total-Drums and actually printed it off. Your suggestion of starting each session by playing something you really enjoy for 5 min. has really turned things around for me. I have always been very disciplined and regimented with my practice time telling myself "I'll warm up with 30 min of rudiments followed by working through a difficult piece until I nail it. Then and only then will I allow myself to really have fun and play what I want". Now I'm more motivated, practicing longer and having more fun :)! And Wy - Why are you avoiding "normal people" lol? You're not avoiding us? Are we not normal?
 
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