how long to get to a good standard on drums?

bluestone

Junior Member
hey all i'm new here and am just taking up the drums. i'm a 21 year old guitarist and have discovered unfortunately that guitarists are a dime a dozen and even though i'm a decent guitarist (i actually know what i'm doing and keep in time rather than just unnecessary plank wanI<ing) i still find it difficult to get in a band. so i just started to do drums yesterday to make myself more available to bands and have found that i have naturally taken to it and am able to easily do all the grade 2 stuff (going to buy a few more grade books to see what levels i am able to do). but if i practice 2 hours a day how long will it roughly take me to get to relatively good standard for a band.

thanks for the help :)

also forgot to mention that i have found i prefer the open handed technique, don't know if that is of any help though in getting better quicker or not though
 
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Why not take up bass? So long as you play it like a bass player, and not a guitarist, it's
a logical move. I play both jazz/brazilian guitar and jazz drums. The instruments are worlds
apart....think bass, seriously.
 
i know bass is a more logical move but for some reason i just can't stand the instrument, plus i'm enjoying the drums so if i am able to get good enough on it quickly enough to get in a band then that's just a bonus :)
 
How long is a piece of string?

There is no structured time frame or "one size fits all" formula. People learn and develop at different rates. One guy may take a couple of weeks, another takes a couple of years. Suffice it to say that if you put in the work, invest the time and keep at it, you'll be better next month than you are now. But there is no way anyone can possibly say how long it's gonna take you as an individual, to develop the necessary timing, skillset and confidence to play in a band.

How "good" we are is more often than not determined by those that choose to play with us.....not ourselves.

When you can lay down steady time, know a few variations on basic 4/4 grooves, can add a few fills and are generally able to hold it all together.....throw yourself out there. The individual band will soon let you know if your standards meet their standards.
 
".....How "good" we are is more often than not determined by those that choose to play with us.....not ourselves....."

This couldn't be more true.

And to point out another aggravating fact, it's not just guitarists that are a dime a dozen - so make sure you spread the insults everywhere ;)

However, as you get better and more people like to confer upon you that you're good because they like having you around, then it's up to you to continue that trend by ensuring they like having you around. A good way to continue that is to do your job great, show up early, and don't talk trash about anybody else. Every time I meet someone who is complaining about others, in the back of my mind I'm wondering if that person is talking to other people and complaining about me. That's a good way to not having any friends at all. And we need all the friends we can get.
 
How long is a piece of string?

There is no structured time frame or "one size fits all" formula. People learn and develop at different rates. One guy may take a couple of weeks, another takes a couple of years. Suffice it to say that if you put in the work, invest the time and keep at it, you'll be better next month than you are now. But there is no way anyone can possibly say how long it's gonna take you as an individual, to develop the necessary timing, skillset and confidence to play in a band.

How "good" we are is more often than not determined by those that choose to play with us.....not ourselves.

When you can lay down steady time, know a few variations on basic 4/4 grooves, can add a few fills and are generally able to hold it all together.....throw yourself out there. The individual band will soon let you know if your standards meet their standards.

+1..Spot on.I have met over the year,many a drummer that had what they thought was a natural apptitude for the instrument,but eventually ,hit a wall and became disillusioned with playing,and sold their instrument,without taking a single lesson.HUGE mistake.

There is no timeline for skill building.I've met "natural guitar "players that were amazing after having only picked up a giuitar after a years time..

To each their own.There are plenty of pros out there who will confess to never being able to play a certain fill or beat and who can't solo worth worth a damn.But take the same guy,and stick him is a drum chair in a band,and magic happens.

Natural ability will only take you so far,and a good teacher is necessary to show you proper technique,BEFORE you develop the bad habits that won't let you get any better....no matter how hard you practice.

Practice means a lot.....proper practice means ...EVERYTHING.

Stck your ego in your back pocket,get some lessons or at least an evaluation by a good teacher,and head for the woodshed.Slow down.play EVERYTHING slow,speed up gradually and learn to play everything ....at different volume levels.

That gives you lots of comtrol.

'Speed IS NOT the be all and all of drumming.It's the guy who can lay down a solid four on the floor,play just enough,and have BIG ears ,who will get the gig.

If you look at album credits,you'll see monster players who just lay down the perfect groove,and the well placed tasty fill,that get all the work.The young gums who come in and want to play 128 BPM blast beats will usually be on the outside looking in.

Best of luck.

Steve B
 
Let me turn the question back to you. How long does it take to learn any new skill?

I think everyone else on here pretty much summed it up. Learning to play drums is individual based. Some people pick it up much faster than others. I could say that about learning any new thing. How long does it take to learn to ride a bike? Once you learn to ride it, how long does it take before you're doing wheelies? Riding faster? Riding no-handed? You see where I'm going with it.

The answer is, there is no real answer. Just practice. Simple as that.
 
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