Practice troubles

Npirsch

Junior Member
Hello All,

I have a problem that I hope some of you could help with;

Recently, I haven’t been feeling the pull to go down and practice, To learn new things and get better, I don’t know what to learn and If I find something to learn I can’t get excited about learning it. I’m pretty sure this is called “hitting a plateau” and I’ve hit this in the past and got over it but I’m not sure how. I tried to take a break but It just made me frustrated and didn’t make me want to play.

I see all of these people playing and just having so much fun and always thinking about drums and just loving playing and I just haven’t been experiencing that.

Hope some of you have been able to get over this problem (if you have experienced it) and can share how you overcame it.
 
You need a change sounds like. I don't mean get a hobby, but change your kit around, learn a style you don't normally play, add a new piece of gear and try to incorporate it into your playing. Sometimes throwing a wrench into the equation open up new ideas.

Perhaps get a (new) book to work through if you are into that.
 
I practice regular sessions of 3-4 hours a day and I always run out of time before I've exhausted my options.

A lot of idea's I take from books or video's I find on drumeo for example, and then I expand them within my playing.

For example the current thing I'm working on stems from Benny Greb's "Alphabet of Rythm", where I've been breaking down his alphabet throughout my kit to create new fill idea's. I've been starting the practice at 50 BPM so it's also really forcing me to feel where the notes are within space time.

I feel like I could spend hundred's of hours on this concept alone before I reach mastery of it, then it could become a warmup.

Practicing system's like in Gary Chester's "The New Breed" can be challenging and frustrating but definitely tunes your playing to be more precise. But can be a drag.

If you want to take some time off from your kit and work on your hands you can pickup snare drum pieces like Wilcoxin for example.

If you want to simply have fun and challenge yourself with songs, there are multitudes of songs that can give you a hard time if you really try to learn them as is. Make the groove real. One song that comes to mind is Chaka Khan's "Ain't Nobody" Beat.

My point is, the devil is in the details, and when it comes to drumming, details are infinite.


Perhaps finding yourself a teacher and just getting a few lessons can open you up to a few concepts you haven't thought of before. One thing is for sure though, on the internet you can find all kinds of inspiration.

Also you've mentioned about looking at other drummers play and they look happy. Maybe you need to find yourself some new people to play with and just have fun creating.

Hope this helps,
 
Not sure what you mean exactly. I practice what i play live. Do you mean stagnation. Are you referring to desire to play. Having some rough patches with tempo, technique or dynamics is something you just power through. Stagnation might require some time. Time to get re-energized or re-inspired. Desire to do this is something I can't give you. That's on you to figure out.
 
I see all of these people playing and just having so much fun and always thinking about drums and just loving playing and I just haven’t been experiencing that.

It's hard being a brooding hypercritical musician these days.

Fear not, as you are in good company. There are those among us who find playing drums to be a soul crushing abyss of disappointment as we are perpetually dissatisfied with our own performances.

We meet in the VFW basement every Tuesday night. Free coffee and doughnuts.
 
A few suggestions:

1) find some music you're enthusiastic about and play groove exercises along to them (I recently found for myself 'Could you be loved' or 'Exodus' by Bob Marley great for that, nice tempos and groove), and record yourself

2) the same with latin percussion tracks: play all your favourite funky grooves along to Mambo, Mozambique, Songo etc. E.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOgRI1i1QoA

3) try taking lessons from an inspiring drummer

4) set yourself the task to become fluid with all standard rudiments, they are very rewarding in themselves when you persist with them
 
Recently, I haven’t been feeling the pull to go down and practice, To learn new things and get better, I don’t know what to learn and If I find something to learn I can’t get excited about learning it.

Why are you not excited about the new thing? Do you fear that you won't be able to use it in live playing? Is it too difficult? Not worth the time?

Learning "the drums" (or any musical instrument) is a huge task. This is why we give students a chance to perform at a recital or concert: it gives them a concrete goal, with a deadline (i.e. "I need to execute these three songs on this date, with these other players").

Learning "the drums" -- what would that next task even be, for any of us? Some days you might be excited to work on interdependence, or flamacues, or 7/8 songo groove variations, but others, not so much. There's an entire world of music, exercises, techniques, etc. to choose from. So, don't. Instead, figure out what your next performance will be, and work towards that. Your next performance doesn't need to be a concert or recital. It could just be a jam session or rehearsal. Then, work on the things that will improve your playing on that material.

Have short-term goals, with deadlines, if possible. And if you don't have a gig on the calendar, find some players, and go make one happen.
 
It's hard being a brooding hypercritical musician these days.

Fear not, as you are in good company. There are those among us who find playing drums to be a soul crushing abyss of disappointment as we are perpetually dissatisfied with our own performances.

We meet in the VFW basement every Tuesday night. Free coffee and doughnuts.

This made me laugh more than it should have
 
Change something. Because what you are doing now isn't working.

Do you jam with other musicians?
 
Ok.....so it seems that you are currently losing interest in your practice.

Maybe the thing to do is put your sticks down, step away from the kit and focus on something else for a while.

It's not a crime to do that....there is other things in life other that drumming.

Having some time out doesn't mean that you aren't a drummer.

Go to the movies, start collecting action figures, start a exercise regime, listen to classic albums, watch some TV, buy some new clothes......
 
One of the complaints about social media is people always put things up that present themselves in the best light and the most positive of moments. That's not real life. The guys on the Drummer's Weekly Groovecast (highly recommended podcast) http://drummersweeklygroovecast.com/ talk about this sometimes. You see people posting their gigs all the time and it seems like everyone works more than you do. But that's not reality.

Speaking of the Groovecast, they have an episode dedicated to burnout (episode 57) that you may want to check out. No show gets deeper into the weeds of these things that drummers (and musicians in general) think about than those guys. Sometimes it helps hearing this stuff just to know you're not alone.
 
Thanks all who replied,

I've set my self a short term goal and I am starting to feel a little better about my practice; I am going to learn a song (Seven by Sunny Day Real Estate) and post a drum cover, first take this Sunday.

If anybody would like to see it i'm gonna throw the link up here when its recorded.

Cheers to all that helped!
 
One of the complaints about social media is people always put things up that present themselves in the best light and the most positive of moments. That's not real life. The guys on the Drummer's Weekly Groovecast (highly recommended podcast) http://drummersweeklygroovecast.com/ talk about this sometimes. You see people posting their gigs all the time and it seems like everyone works more than you do. But that's not reality.

Speaking of the Groovecast, they have an episode dedicated to burnout (episode 57) that you may want to check out. No show gets deeper into the weeds of these things that drummers (and musicians in general) think about than those guys. Sometimes it helps hearing this stuff just to know you're not alone.

Thanks man! i'm gonna check this out tomorrow on my way to school.
 
It sounds like you're not seeing any rewards as of late.

Read this forum thread, http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164816, for ideas on how to change or pretty much overhaul your practice routine.

I had a similar problem earlier this year and started a similar thread. Two things I changed in my routine was making sure I practiced something completely new each time and reviewing something I practiced a good while ago - both yield quick rewards.

And don't just play random covers when you jam, either learn the song as a group or better yet write songs with your jam mates and come up with your own drum parts.
 
It sounds like you're not seeing any rewards as of late.

Read this forum thread, http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164816, for ideas on how to change or pretty much overhaul your practice routine.

I had a similar problem earlier this year and started a similar thread. Two things I changed in my routine was making sure I practiced something completely new each time and reviewing something I practiced a good while ago - both yield quick rewards.

And don't just play random covers when you jam, either learn the song as a group or better yet write songs with your jam mates and come up with your own drum parts.

It’s not really random covers, sorry that was my phrasing we’re collectively learning songs as a group and I would really like to make my own songs but my jam mates are those “let’s just stick to covers” guys
 
... I’m pretty sure this is called “hitting a plateau” ...

Besides being a personal sensation it would help for answering properly watching you play, so unless you do that it´s vague advice.
 
I tend to do this after playing gigs.. usualy a week after a big gig I don't want to practice for some reason.

2 things I try. Sometimes, when you are practicing hard you do need a few days or weeks off. when I come back after I love the drums again.

Find out what YOU like to do. Some people hate playing rudiments. If you are in a rut cut out the stuff that isn't fun. When I need to motivate myself I learn a new lick or chop and want to get really good at it to make myself feel good.

jam to music to put some of this to use too.
 
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