Daily Practiceroutine.

Bobbytard

Bobbytard

Member
Hi there, I'm new to this forum. :)

I've been playing drums for a little bit over a year now and gotten to the point that I realize I need a daily practice routine, things i have to do everyday.

I want to create a very extreme routine and I would like to get some help from you guys that are alot more experienced.

What I got so far is:
• Warm up – 15 min
• Derek Roddy Independence routine – 15 min
• George Kollias 16-week foot excercises – 15 min
• Speed around the set – 15 min
• Rudiments, 2 per day – 10 min a piece, 20 min total
• Go through learned songs – 45 min
• Learn new songs – 1 hour
• New beats, 2 per day – 10 min a piece, 20 min total
• Fills, 2st – 10 min a piece, 20 min total
• Blast beats speed – 20 min
• Derek Roddy Endurance routine – 35 min

Is there anything missing?
Should I take something out?
Should I change the order?
Got any other excercises I have to do?

Thanks in advance!
/ Bobby
 
Bobbytard,
I think most "should I" questions really depend on the individual's personal goals. Meaning it's hard to make distance diagnoses as to who should do what, you know what I mean? There are general recommendations etc., but ultimately you should...

1) think of your personal goals, and then
2) think about how to work towards them.

Your practice routine looks impressive. Will you have the discipline/time to pull through (almost) every day? I'm practicing a lot technique, too. But my approach is using common sense and intuition (having 21 yrs of guitar playing, I think I have some experience as to how learn and which learning principles work in my case). My practice can vary greatly, but your routine - as any routine - has the advantage to provide steadiness so there should definitely be progress. I think if you actually start doing that routine you might notice that some things need more time than factored in and some things - less. So you might think of adapting any routine with time/progress.

Overall I'd focus on weaknesses and practice left side lead a lot (which I'm doing). What I'm also trying to do is combining "something" with my hands with "something" with my feet. I'm also doing some exercises for a prolonged period of time, mostly on the double pedal (set up under my PC desk so I can practice most of the day). Thus, I can practice e.g. heel up or heel toe (one foot at a time, vs. both feet) in "pilot mode" while adding some left hand playing on a pad (mostly with trad grip). That handwork can consist of Moeller accents, going up and down the time table, or blast beats. Just suggestions how you can mix up handwork and footwork and thus, maybe save some practice time and create variations.

Again, this depends on your preferences. But for now I completely don't care to learn songs, I'm focusing on technique/motions. Assuming that the better the technique the easier it will be to learn songs when I decide to start actually learning songs. My 'strategy' might vary from yours though because I don't care/plan to join a band, I'm practicing for fun and because the technical aspects are intriguing me.

PS: You mentioned Derek Roddy twice. Ever thought of joining his forum? :)
 
I would add putting those rudiments to use around the kit

find rudiments that blend together well

invert them, change the accent pattern, chain link a few together and try throwing them around the kit.

you will be pleasantly surprised at what you come up with.

check out Pat Petrillos book Hands, Grooves, and Fills, he goes pretty deeply into this and supplies tons of rudiment combination ideas that easily apply to the kit

and when applying these rudiment combinations around the kit dont be afraid to substitute a R or an L with a kick, sometimes thats all a lick needs to put it over the top
 
There's a lot there, but if you have the time then it might be fine.

But after a year and a half of serious practice I've realised that it's better to get fewer things really down, so they're ingrained in you.

Anyway, if it were me I'd spend about half my time working on rudiments, grooves etc at at least half speed.

The key is to build control and if you're practicing at full speed and you're not really ready for it you could end up awful sloppy.

I know if feels like we should be in a hurry to get good, but don't miss out on fundamentals and leave a big hole in your playing
 
I know that it is alot of excercises and I think I have the discipline. The time i will just have to find.

The reasons there are so many excercises is that I REALLY want to become better playing drums. I just love playing them. I don't settle for second place. I want to become as god as I can. I just have to find the way.

Oh, I also play with the band about 2-times a week atm. So I get some jamming practice from there aswell.
 
Learning songs is fun (that's how I beefed up my speed chops) but i would say to focus on technique until you really have that down. I had the luxury of marching band to clean up my technique, so when i sat down to a kit i could just play, but technique is very important. But don't get too caught up in speed. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you're into metal/faster stuff because you mentioned Roddy and Kollias and i understand (i like metal too) you want to go fast, but speed isn't everything. Groove is also important and if you can play complex grooves, chances are you will be landing more gigs. Also, i forget who said it (someone help me out here) but there's a quote that goes something like "just sit down and play! So many drummers these days take the fun out of playing and just practice themselves to death. If you play and have fun, naturally your speed will build up."
so my advice
practice rudiments
practice TECHNIQUE, not just speed
practice different genres and grooves, harder bets ect.
practice to songs for like 20 minutes, you don't need 45 unless you're having fun and just playing (on that note here's a article i read about that once:http://www.aquariandrumheads.com/concept-articles?articleid=14)
For blast beats, i would practice those maybe 10 min a day, 20 seems like overkill, but then again, i just haphazardly practiced and it took me 3 months to get them down
Have fun!
I understand wanting to get better and be the best (I'm not like that at all ;-)) but don't kill the fun by practicing yourself to death, you had around 5 hours planned out
 
You are totally right! I'm a total metalhead and almost only listen to (death) metal, except for Coheed and cambria and classic rock.

I'm thinking about removing the song learning and the song practice on the schedule since I do that for fun anyways and it becomes more relaxed and more fun I guess.

Another reason for it beeing such a long practice routine is that I am 23 (turning 24 this August) and I want to catch up with people that startet much much earlier than me. I feel so much behind...
 
I would tone it down a bit cause that is a lot...
Personally I do this and I've been improving a lot the last year or two doing it.
Warm up: 10-20 minutes
Rudimental solos with click track: 10-15 minutes
Play cover songs(goof off just jammin):10-15 minutes
Drumset book: 20 minutes
Do whatever: 1minute-1hour lol
Just be somewhat structured and take breaks or you will get destracted and not do your work. Have fun:)
 
If you have the time and you're able to stick with it I think it's great.

What you practice is very personal in that noone is into the exact same type of skill.

I have a similar list that pretty much takes a full work day, but I don't really work much at moment so I have the time.

I'm not a meatal guy so I don't spend to much time on the double pedal, just enough to start getting a balance, but I spend most of my time working on grooves in different styles, accents, fills, Patterns/New Breed/Syncopation type stuff and try to put it all in context, so that it's of real use to me. It's divided into sort of 4 main sections and I'm not pressed for time, which is why it can work. I move really slowly, though.

In the evening I spend some time with the pad doing conditioning exercises as well as adding working in new accent patterns.
 
Bobbytard said:
• George Kollias 16-week foot excercises – 15 min
Click to expand...

Bobby -- could you detail this routine a bit ? i am a jazz / pop drummer, but i have been working some of George's tech after watching the 200-280 piece i saw on youtube (aeons of burning galaxies as well) . all single pedal. mainly RFRF and LFLF ala Famularo / Vinnie / Tony / Jojo as fast 16ths & triplets. and using his blast beat patterns w/ R or L hand lead to build speed & endurance. THX.
 
Arky said:
George's 16-week foot exercises workout is on his website, in the "Education" section:
http://www.georgekollias.com/index2.htm
Click to expand...

cool stuff. i appreciate the link.

sorry for the topic hijack. my advice is to never "get used to" your practice routine. keep changing it up & working on stuff you need to work on / is new to you. it's easy to get into a 123 routine & stick w/ it for 4 years & then you get a gig / audition & wish you worked more on XYZ. so be you own drill sergeant as you evolve your practice routine. i try to force myself to work on new stuff at least once per week.

work on relaxation, correct technique for all the speedy stuff. try to play it as relaxed & efficient as possible. this extreme stuff can catch up to you RE Thomas Lang's Carpal Tunnel surgery & amazing 3-week recovery (great read): http://www.mikedolbear.com/story.asp?StoryID=3052

i would also check out Steve Smiths thoughts on drum practice (on youtube) as he may be the most accomplished wood-shedder the drum world has ever seen. just his approach on playing everything (once under your hands/feet) LOUD, soft, FAST & slow has changed my playing.
 
You are totally right! I'm a total metalhead and almost only listen to (death) metal, except for Coheed and cambria and classic rock.
Click to expand...

I remember my death metal kick, only band i still listen to is Death, i shifted over to black metal pretty quickly. But be sure not to just listen to death metal, its great stuff and all, but most death metal players infuse other genres to spice up the drumming, heres some bands to check out along your death metal line
Dimmu Borgir: The chosen legacy. Hellhamer (jan axel bloomberg) is faster than Kollias (regarded as the fastest death metal drummer, usually atleast) and he plays for Dimmu, song is crazy fast
Arcturus: Radical Cut. This song is pretty progressive for metal, but the drum parts are amazing, once again Hellhammer
Mayhem: Buried by time and dust. More death metalish, once more Hellhammer
Death: 1000 eyes. Gene hoglan, this man is a beast, plus Death is the band that "invented" death metal
Meshuggah: obzen. Thomas Haake is amazing, hands down insane drum parts on this song and the whole album
Satyricon: Woods to eternity. Frost is a great drummer, more death metal blast beatish stuff
Thats a few for the death metalish stuff, but i think you might want to add some progressive stuff in too, try
Cynic: Evolutionary sleeper: Sean Reinert is pretty technical and writes good drum stuff
Arcturus: (album) Sideshow symphonies: its prog black metal, worth listening to, try shipwrecked frontier pioneer
But you will need to expand from just death metal
If you want i can PM you some bands and more in depth detail about some, i just dont want to turn this thread into a band suggestions by me kinda deal :)
 
I recommend ending with just goofing around. Play whatever you feel like for even just a couple of minutes after you've gone through your strict routine.

The reality is, practicing technical exercises can get a bit dull, even though they're very valuable from a training perspective. But we don't want to end with dull, because we don't want negative thoughts in our heads when we leave the kit. We want to end with fun, because that will reinforce the reason we started playing in the first place: it's fun!

So before you call it quits for the day, just turn off your regimented mind and flail for the sheer pleasure of drumming.
 
Maybe you should try divide the different exercises over a couple of weeks it's easier to pull of.

ex:
- Just practice 2 Rudiments every day for one week
- Get different types of blastbeats up to speed ("In one week I will get my speed from 120 - 150")
- Focus on one album every week and film/record yourself to see you development.

Remember you have to get the stuff into your muscle memory!

Also analyze while listening to music for 30 minutes everyday (without playing to the track)

Have fun!
 
Huge routine, Bobby. If you have the discipline to do it then much respect.

I think the most important advice given so far is this:

Jon B said:
But be sure not to just listen to death metal
Click to expand...

... and not just because I'm not into metal :) I play lounge, pop, soul and blues in my band but I also listen extensively to jazz, prog, fusion, experimental, psychedelic, hard rock, new wave, old metal etc.

The amount of goodies you can pick up from different genres is incredible.
 
Thanks for all the good responses! :D

Where I am at now I think i will draw out the playing to songs off of the routine. Definetly play more kinds of musicstyles in my freetime, such as jazz, reggae, pop and so forth.

I've ordered some books that should arrive next week.
I ordered:
The evolution of blast beats
Stock control for the snare drummer
Syncopation for the modern drummer
The new breed.
And also I ordered a DW Go anywhere practice kit.
I will add some excercises from those books to the routine aswell.

I now have done the routine for about a week. The back of my left calf has become sore so I don't train my left leg at the moment.
I also have to get in touch with a teacher but it's really hard were I live.
I live in a small town in northern sweden and there's no drumming teachers anywhere.
What are your experience with skype lessons? Does it work aswell? What teachers do you recommend?
I've checked out mikeslessons and drumeo (as soon as the launch it).
 
Bobbytard said:
The evolution of blast beats
Click to expand...
I have that DVD, it's great. Because in addition to all that blast stuff Derek points out the importance of being balanced (on the throne, and limb-wise), working on one's weak foot/side. That is SO important and basically stuff to work on for a lifetime. Plus you'll get some insight into one of his hobbies - breeding snakes ;-)
Bobbytard said:
I now have done the routine for about a week. The back of my left calf has become sore so I don't train my left leg at the moment.
Click to expand...
Be careful. Listen to your body. Sure ambitious playing and progressing at some good speed is demanding, but sometimes your limbs need some rest. I will give my feet some rest every few days, maybe just for half a day. Sometimes 2 days in a row. It depends. You might have noticed that with fresh feet you can practice better and learn new stuff quicker. But you have to work out which level of physical strain on your limbs is "enough" or "too much".
Bobbytard said:
I also have to get in touch with a teacher but it's really hard were I live. (...)
What are your experience with skype lessons? (...) What teachers do you recommend?
I've checked out mikeslessons and drumeo (as soon as the launch it).
Click to expand...
You can find a lot of great teachers here on DRUMMERWORLD. Bill Bachman comes to mind. He has world class hand technique and offers skype lessons.

As to mikeslessons - that teacher must be Mike Michalkow then. I just wanted to drop in and make clear Mike is a good teacher indeed. Drumeo is a new platform started by Railroad Media, with Jared Falk and Dave Atkinson being the persons mainly involved in this. And Jared Falk/Railroad Media has a somewhat bad reputation here on DRUMMERWORLD. Just wanted to mention this because I think it would be unfair if other forum members chime in and say "Don't do that! Keep away from anything by Railroad Media", you know. Jared Falk has done some "mistakes" in the past and he deserved the "feedback" he got for it here on DRUMMERWORLD. But that was some years ago and related to something else. Drumeo has no direct relation to this. I have the Drumming System Online and Drum Fill System by Railroad Media, and I watch those weekly online lessons they make. That's why I know some details on them.

Yesterday I received my Ludwig P4 Pat Petrillo practice pad. As you're taking drumming seriously with quite a routine going I just wanted to recommend this very innovative pad. For a pad it provides a great feel for a "mini kit" as it has several different playing levels and playing zones with different rubber material. I especially like this pad because it's so easy to switch from cross-handed to open-handed/righty player to open-handed/lefty style. I still do like my other practice pads but they're 'one-dimensional' in comparison.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcWkXHnkLbk
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top