Hello Drummerworld,
I need some friendly advice.
I'm sure this a familiar story...I started playing the drums at the age of 12. Although I only had 6 months of formal drum lessons I am fortunate to have a natural rhythm. By the time I was 15 I was first chair in our high school jazz-rock ensemble. In my early 20s I spent 4 years in a cover/bar band, doing the day job thing while gigging three nights a week. Although certainly no virtuoso, I was pretty good, and so was our band. Then my day job career took off, I moved up through the ranks...and the music fell by the wayside.
Through the ensuing years I would occasionally sit in with musician friends and jam a bit, but never re-established that music 'muscle' that regular playing had developed.
So hear I am, 32 years later, successfully retired from my day job. I still have the same 5-piece Pearl Export set I gigged with back in the Crazy Eighties. Although I have kept it set up and tuned all these years, the lack of practice has had the expected effects. I can still keep a solid beat and I am still in excellent health, in fact probably better that before, but my skills have eroded. I would like to get back to where I was in my prime.
My first instinct is to get back to what helped me when I was a teenager - putting the headphones on and playing to my favorite songs.
Any other suggestions for a practice routine to clean the rust and put the edge back into my skills?
Thanks in advance!
I need some friendly advice.
I'm sure this a familiar story...I started playing the drums at the age of 12. Although I only had 6 months of formal drum lessons I am fortunate to have a natural rhythm. By the time I was 15 I was first chair in our high school jazz-rock ensemble. In my early 20s I spent 4 years in a cover/bar band, doing the day job thing while gigging three nights a week. Although certainly no virtuoso, I was pretty good, and so was our band. Then my day job career took off, I moved up through the ranks...and the music fell by the wayside.
Through the ensuing years I would occasionally sit in with musician friends and jam a bit, but never re-established that music 'muscle' that regular playing had developed.
So hear I am, 32 years later, successfully retired from my day job. I still have the same 5-piece Pearl Export set I gigged with back in the Crazy Eighties. Although I have kept it set up and tuned all these years, the lack of practice has had the expected effects. I can still keep a solid beat and I am still in excellent health, in fact probably better that before, but my skills have eroded. I would like to get back to where I was in my prime.
My first instinct is to get back to what helped me when I was a teenager - putting the headphones on and playing to my favorite songs.
Any other suggestions for a practice routine to clean the rust and put the edge back into my skills?
Thanks in advance!