Not another practice thread...

KCMike

Junior Member
Hi all - new member here....

Before I get flamed with suggestions that I use the search tool - I did try to search prior to posting but there were so many hits that I decided to see if I could cut to the chase here...

I am interested in hearing what your practice routine is, including any warm up exercises you do.

While the experienced members queue up links to previous practice routine threads I am going to go back to the search tool and start looking myself. If you have a practice routine you would like to share that was not previously posted please share it! Thanks in advance.

Mike
 
Welcome to the forum.

Yes, the search tool is a good idea. Most of the routines I've seen fall into:

1: Hand patterns and technique (stick control)
2: Hand patterns over foot patterns (limb independence)
3: Learning linear parts
4: Learning nonlinear parts (grooves)
5: Putting everything together to music (transitions, dynamics, etc).

I tend to do a bit of each every day, and in the order listed. There's no sense working on a groove if my hands aren't warmed up. There's no sense learning a song if I cannot pay the individual parts.
 
Mon:
Warm-up: Samba feet + 1 Lang/Patella Stick control kit interpretation 1hr
Wilcoxon in snare/kit 30 mins
4 Ostinatos 2 hrs

LUNCH BREAK

Jazz routine 2-3 hrs
DB:Stick Control as 16ths & 2+2 group , cross, improvisation 30 mins


Tuesday:
Warm-up: Baiao feet + 1 Lang/Patella Stick control kit interpretation 1 hr
Wilcoxon on snare/kit 30 mins
4 Ostinatos 2 hrs

LUNCH BREAK

Jazz routine 2-3 hrs
DB: Singles H=16ths L=32, & 2+2 group , cross, improvisation 30 mins


Wed:
Warm-up : 5/4 feet + 1 Lang/Patella Stick control kit interpretation
Wilcoxon on snare/kit 30 mins
4 Ostinatos 2 hrs

LUNCH BREAK

Jazz routine 2-3 hrs
DB: Single doubles through 16th note accents sheet & 2+2 group , cross, improvisation 30 mins


Thur:
Warm-up: 7/4 feet + 1 Lang/Patella Stick control kit interpretation 1 hr
Wilcoxon on snare/kit 30 mins
4 Ostinatos 2 hrs

LUNCH BREAK

Jazz routine 2-3 hrs
DB: 1-8 pr foot & 2+2 group , cross, improvisation 30 mins


Fri:
Warm-up: 9/4 feet + 1 Lang/Patella Stick control kit interpretation 1 hr
Wilcoxon on snare/kit
4 Ostinatos 2 hrs

LUNCH BREAK

Jazz routine 2-3 hrs
DB: Rhythm scale 4-8 & 2+2 group , cross, improvisation 30 mins


Sat(short day):
All out 12 limb pair conditioning 2 hrs
Jazz playing song review


Sun(rest day):
If nothing else to do: slow relaxed Wilcoxon review on pad & brushes


The warm-ups include all sorts of stickings, reading and mprovisation.

Ostinatos can be anything.

Basically coordination and conditioning first, then musical jazz practice and end with double bass conditioning. Saturday is chops day.
 
I'm working on establishing a set practice routine and this is what I've been doing lately...

WARM UP
Single stroke 16th's on snare gradually getting faster
Single stroke paradiddle 16th's on snare gradually getting faster
Play simple beats all around the kit

When I'm warmed up I start playing along to "easier" drumless songs on YouTube. Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop, Misfits - Astro Zombies, Papa Roach - Last Resort, etc

Then I play along to songs that are a little more difficult. Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill, Paramore - Misery Business, Queens of the Stone Age - Go With The Flow, etc

Then I play along to fast metal songs. At The Gates - Blinded By Fear, Slayer - Raining Blood, Thrice - Deadbolt, etc

THEN I work on a new song that I want to learn and play along to it a couple times.

Here's a link to my YouTube playlist of drumless tracks
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXqUJ-TLUZBrUKTVjIPqUYvvU-rS5xyhg
 
I usually don't go in with an agenda. I just start playing. It usually takes one of 2 forms: Actual practice where I'm working on one thing for a long period of time or sometimes I just feel like playing with the best feeling human time I can muster.

My body knows instinctively what it wants to do, work or play. So I let it take the lead at practice time.

Discipline is not my strong suit lol, going with the flow is more my speed.
 
I have my e-kit next to a radiator, this works even better if its switched on. I sit down and play. Not being funny but I am a hobby drummer and time, in every sense of the word, is tight for me.
 
My routine for now begins on the pad in front of a mirror with 8 on a hand, rebound strokes for maybe 5-10 minutes, start at 90 bpm and increase tempo until it feels tense or sloppy. Then the first 10 examples in Drum Workout. After this I move to my e-kit. As of now I'm going through Charles Dowd's "Funky Primer" both left/right hand lead. I round off with some songs we play in our band, I play along with my Spotify list on the Iphone. We rehearse only twice a month so that's unfortunately the only time with real drums.
 
I play 8th notes on the hats for an hour almost daily with a met. and than with music while trying to change the feel of the notes.i need improvement and it works. The rest of my practice varies day to day.
 
Thanks for all of the replies folks - much appreciated. I am putting together a routine now, but my problem is usually not designing a routine but sticking to it. I will inevitably start off with my routine but easily get distracted - next thing I know I am just noodling around with no particular direction. Thanks again everyone - Go Chiefs!

MM
 
I think a good idea is to just start doing something to a level that is possible and realistic for you to do every day.

Do the routine you have planned around your goals and then leave time for having fun afterwards. As you get accustomed to the real "practicing" part of the routine, slowly increase it.

Don't plan a routine like mine if you have a job. That routine IS my job. It's friday night, and although I'm watching some drum videos and play a little bit on a pad, I'm totally beat and after a short intense conditioning thing tomorrow I'm just chillin' until Monday.

I personally start the day with a song and will break up things with playing theough a song I know and before longer breaks.

I usually start with "New Religion", just as a habit and right now I end with "Mud Sauce" and "Frog Legs" as those are tunes I'm trying to learn.
 
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