Practice and time investment

[Jax]

I've thought a lot about how much time it takes to develop drumming skills, and how to develop practice strategies to use during that time. There are so many areas of study in drumming that I've worked on what seemed like the most important stuff until I felt I had it down before attempting the next skill level. I have my ways of working, but I wonder what other drummers do.

With so many ways to become educated and skilled in drumming and so little time, what is your approach to practice?

Do you slave over a technique for weeks or months on end, until you've got it down, or do you work on several things at once?

When you know you won't really be able to tackle something you want to be able to play without developing your technique, do you focus primarily on developing that particular skill?

How do you decide what's most important for you to work on? Do you try to improve your weakest areas, or make your strongest even stronger?

[joeq]

Originally Posted by Jax

...

Do you slave over a technique for weeks or months on end, until you've got it down, or do you work on several things at once?

...

I was always trying to advance on a broad front. I am happy with where it has gotten me. It is however a long-run strategy. I never worried about "when" a certain technique would be 'ready' to use at a gig. Everything shows up in your playing eventually.

In the beginning, this was somewhat of a disadvantage, as many fans (and even musicians and bandleaders) tend to over-respond to the flashy stuff. I lost some gigs to guys that did not have my independence or clock, but had faster single stroke rolls or whatever.

In retrospect I think I should have been a little less balanced - focused a little bit more on a few "wow" techniques while still trying to move forward in many areas. It is a competitive arena, and you do need some flash.

[biggator6]

Regardless of what skill it is that I'm trying to learn... I find it best to focus on one technique/skill pretty heavily, but when you get stuck or plateau - move on to something different to break it up, and go back to the original thing later.

[ktf]

I started off with rudiments, then I went on to independance. Plenty of books out there for that. All that time you learn to move around on the drums. I would put on a very slow click and practice moving from 2 to 3 to 4 to 6 to 8 and then back down again. Don't worry about the click - after a couple of hours it will be where you expect it. If it's not - play with it in the wrong spot for added interest. Hours and hours of playing along to all kind of music. Hours and hours of solo drums. Learn about Latin beats. Teachers never hurt. Record yourself. Learn to tune on the fly - drums always need tweaking. Get some cymbales with plenty of dig so you don't have a heart attack every time you hit them.
I can spot the wow facture a mile away and it's never a good thing unless it is derived from passion.

[phaqu]

Originally Posted by ktf

I would put on a very slow click and practice moving from 2 to 3 to 4 to 6 to 8 and then back down again.

What happened to 5, 7 and 9?

[cortisol]

As far as technique goes I use a few strategies...

1. I program my co-ordination system so that statistically speaking I am playing a technique right more than I play it wrong otherwise it means I am practicing getting it wrong!

So I try to play a technique 3X through with a bite size portion of the technique and stop. Wait... (for my co-ordination system to catch up), relax... and then go again. Seems that the wait helps me play correctly and better the next time. Then repeat. Everything has to be played at a speed where the technique is managable and in control. Speed comes when it is time for speed.. first co-ordination and control.

2. I use a warm up routine so that I always start my playing with warmed up fingers, forarms and shoulders. You need to get the blood flowing to the tendons which requires you to be warm to expand their capilaries.

But most improtantly I use this time to acheive excellence in my playing and make a connection to the sticks in particular. By the time I'm playing a performance on the kit I need to be near my peak performance level.

I use this approach to get better at my rudiments and to save time! If I practice everytime I play rather than having separate practice sessions then life doesn't stop me from practicing.

I pretty much have a warm up routine similar to the one Greg Bissonette shows at the end of his Drumming in different styles DVD which I then add a few things into that I wanna have a go at for fun.

3. I find that most all music is 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, 12/8. And that is the way I like it best. But I find in those practice sessions that are separate from my warm-up rountine - if I practice somethin in odd time signatures or non-standard patterns used in Drum and Bass or IDM etc that my back-beat and standard time sig playing stays smoother and more controled. So I go there girlfriend uh-hu.

4. Some other good things I use to get in the zone are...

*I use some synth patterns from my Alesis Micron to get my double-kick playing super accurate and in the Zone. And I play at tempos above and below the tempos I use in the songs I play with my bands.

*The practice pad keeps my left hand (I'm right handed) in the zone. I practice my doubles and paradiddles etc leading with the left hand whilst leading with my right foot. And I practice accenting paradiddles and doubles with accents other than the 1 or start of the phrase.

For me it's all about rebound, wrist and finger control, accurate even feet and a great back-beat feel.

And groups of 5, 7 and 9 are for people who play alone! LOL.

Peace,
cortisol