Feeling stagnant? Well...there are a million things you can do to become a better drummer. So I made a list with some simple ways to become better both as a drummer and a musician. In my experience just doing one of these can be advantageous for your playing. But if you incorporate all 9, the benefits are greater!
1. Practice Makes Perfect
That is something that you hear over and over again, and most of the time (in my experience) you don’t pay as much attention as you should. Practice and repetition is reasonably the greatest tool that anyone can use in order to master anything, and you don't know it until you experience it. All you need to do is to take 30 minutes out of your day and have a devoted practice.
2. Practice Takes Time
It is true practice makes perfect, but perfection takes time. Basically, playing the drums the whole 24 hours of the day would not make you a master the next morning. The brain needs time to process the information, understand it and eventually master it. It is a matter of spacing. So the best way to actually improve your drumming is playing short sessions every single day but definitely not a long one each month.
Of course, there is another aspect to take into account. You can't expect to develop a new skill if you practice the things you already know and master. This approach is known as "illusion of learning" because you think you are learning, but actually, you are just doing the things you already know. The solution is very simple: Challenge yourself in every practice. It doesn't mean you have to practice paradiddles at 200 bpm, but you can choose a tempo that is challenging but approachable
3. You NEED Stretching
There are two main reasons to add stretching to the drumming routine, and probably it is the only part that doesn't use the drums nor the drumsticks. First of all, stretching is fundamental for the health of any drummer, if you want to be 70 years old and still rock your drums, well stretching is a must. Basically, stretching your muscles lowers the risk of health problems, like carpal tunnel syndrome, a syndrome that destroys the dreams of many musicians. So, because playing drums is a full body physical activity, stretching and warming up your muscles can be very beneficial in the long term.
The second reason is that it can be very advantageous for your drumming skills. Warming up before and stretching out after playing your drums, allow your muscles to be more flexible. That means that you can make moves more freely and easier. That subtle change is a boost for your speed. Also, your muscles get less tired, having a direct impact on your endurance. Overall, adding a stretch and warm up routine only leads to good things.
4. Get to know your Time
Any drummer’s main goal is to keep time with precision and consistency, and the best way to get better at this is to practice with a metronome. The metronome can be either your best friend or worst enemy, it is up to you. Yet the best metronome advice is not to force it. If you can’t keep a beat at 180 bpm, don’t do it, first, practice it at a speed that is comfortable, but challenging.
Although the metronome is the best tool for keeping time, you can use other methods. For example, when I started out I used to get bored with the metronome, so towards the end of my practice session I put on a song with a similar tempo and used it for keeping time while using my practice pad. You can be creative with it. However, you should always come back to the metronome.
5. Get back your Inspiration
It is easier to get better at something when you love doing it. So a great way to improve your drumming is to find inspiration. In the end, it should be the main reason you are currently playing the drums. Many times you lost enthusiasm, and sometimes you get frustrated. You find it very hard to do some exercise or you don’t find joy in playing drums anymore. The trick is very simple. Don't force it. Just take a short break and find your inspirations again. Go back to those recordings or songs that made you pick up the drumsticks in the first place. Find the new things you would like to learn. And most importantly, get comfortable again and go back to the throne better prepared than ever before!
6. Develop Your Endurance
Many people don’t realize that after you learn a new skill or drumming exercise, the next thing to do is to play it for a long time interval. Just imagine you have learned to play a beat with a double bass pedal. You are out there having fun with an up-tempo beat. But how long are you able to do that? Endurance is a virtue that many drummers don't pay as much attention as they should. You can learn any skill. However, the longer you are able to play it, the closer you are to master it. So this advice is very simple. When you finally learn a new exercise, beat or any other skill, try to do it in a long interval, the longest you can. As further as you go, the closer you are to become a master of that skill.
7. Develop your sound
This advice is a simple, but an essential one. Many times there are standardized ways of learning to play drums. And most of these lessons focus on the importance of precision and all theory behind it. This idea is of course really important. A drummer that doesn't know how to keep time or play a beat with precision is almost useless. However, there is a much higher standard that makes any drummer invaluable: Originality. When you think about all the drum legends, what makes them so awesome is not how fast and accurate they are paying. It is their unique sound that makes them different from the rest.
Forging your unique sounds depends on many things, but you can focus on three. First, become a leaning sponge. In other words, try to absorb all the knowledge that you find valuable for developing your sound. Second, try to determine the very basics of your sound. What kind of sound do you want to create? Of course, this evolves over time, but you need to start from somewhere. Finally, try to project this vision towards the drum set up. What I mean by this is to experiment with the endless drum set combinations that you can create. Try different types and number of cymbals. Experiment with the drum materials. Look for rare bass drum sizes. Simply make sure to have the right set up.
8. Play and Learn from others
Usually, a drummer is built to play with other musicians. So naturally, a great way to improve your drumming skills is to play with other people. This exercise allows you to train your ear and play more instinctively. Rehearsing with a band or sharing time with other drummers is a great way to receive feedback, learn new tricks and get better as a musician. Also, besides rehearsing songs, improvisation sessions can be an awesome tool to become a creative beast. You learn to listen to other instruments and respond to them. You exploit your creativity and have a deeper relationship with the music you are creating. In overall, having a band or just playing with others allows you to grow not only as a drummer but as a musician.
9. Enjoy it
In the end, all that matters is that you enjoy your playing. Of Course always being loyal to the music and understanding that it is all about giving. But enjoying your playing opens a lot of possibilities. You can boost your creativity, feel motivated to improve or enjoy the music more. You create a special bond with your instrument. To the extent that, it is not about the music, but much more. It ends up being part of your personality. In my personal experience, drums have become just another way to enjoy life, very close to a spiritual experience. Yes, it sounds really corny. But you don't get that feeling until you work hard and are able to sit down in the throne and delight yourself.
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