How to break past your biggest drumming obstacle
If you’re totally honest with yourself, what do you think the biggest obstacle is standing in the way of your growth on the drums? I have an idea what it might be, but think hard for a moment before you keep reading…
BIGGEST OBSTACLE:
Feeling demotivated because you feel like you don’t have enough time to practice nor the right resources to make sure you’re practicing the right things the right way. So as a result you don’t really practice much, and when you do you’re not getting much done.
Now I know I’m speaking to a wide audience, but this is something I’ve personally faced and seen a lot of other drummers face, too. If this is you, we want to help you break past this. Know this one thing:
You have to “show up” to your practice space, and you have to put in the work on a regular basis in order to grow.
Sounds pretty obvious, doesn’t it? But here’s the key. You have to show up and put in the work…even when you don’t feel like it and even when you feel like you’re not making progress!
The truth is, you might not feel like there’s much progress happening when you first get started. That’s normal. And sometimes there’s an “intermediate slump” where you learn the basics and get pretty good at the instrument…but then you plateau and run out of creativity and inspiration. Getting from average to great is a tough bridge to cross sometimes. But guess how you do it? By showing up regularly to practice and work on your skills - even when you don’t feel the growth happening.
When I started the Non Glamorous Drummer YouTube channel in November 2016, I posted a video every week for 6 months before I even reached 100 subscribers. Getting started was tough, and staying motivated was really tough when I didn’t see much growth. I had to keep trying new things, failing over and over again before I found what worked. But I kept “showing up” each week, posting a video every Friday - even if it was a super mediocre video. ;)
You have to keep at these things and keep learning from your mistakes, which I eventually did. 4 years later I still have to “show up to work” regularly to keep producing helpful content - even if I don’t feel like doing it. If I had chosen to work on the NGD only when I felt like it…this whole thing would have disappeared years ago. You have to create a regular routine of putting in the work so that you slowly and surely reach your goals.
So what are some concrete steps YOU can take to get motivated, practice regularly, and build some serious skill on the drums?
Here are my favorite 3 tips:
#1) Don’t be motivated by the drums themselves…Be motivated by MUSIC. I bet music is why you got into the drums in the first place. It wasn’t to play paradiddles or polyrhythms. It was to jam out with your favorite songs! Don’t lose this. Listen to music, and let that be your driving force.
#2) When you sit down to practice, set a timer for 30 minutes. There’s something psychologically powerful about having a timer going while you’re practicing. It helps you stay focused and get more done! Try this out for when you’re working on grip or rebound on your pad, or you’re working through some coordination exercises on your kit. Limit your time so that you get more done in less time - and your practicing doesn’t consume your free time. Of course, set the timer for whatever amount of time you’re willing to allot. I like 30-60 minute increments, so adjust according to your time budget and what all you'd like to work on.
#3) Become good friends with your practice pad. I’ll always advise to practice on a full-on, acoustic kit whenever possible…but there’s something to be said for the ease and simplicity of pad practice. Have a practice pad set up in a convenient location (maybe next to your desk if you’re working from home) so that you can squeeze in productive bits of practice whenever possible. Being able to quietly work on the simple but super important skills like grip and rebound is extremely helpful.
BONUS RESOURCES...
Now if you’re like, “hey man, all this talk is good and all…but what do I actually practice when I sit down for my 30 minutes?” Well I’m glad you asked. :) If you haven’t grabbed the free, non glamorous guide about how to structure your practice routine, DO IT!
KNOW WHAT TO PRACTICE: The 3-Part Daily Practice Routine that Grows Your Skills in 30 Minutes a Day
This guide breaks down every practice session into 3 parts and provides you with exactly what to practice within those 3 parts for productive, well-rounded practice. I can honestly say that if this guide is all you have in your practice room for the next year…you’re going to make TONS OF PROGRESS! So grab it and get started.
That’s all for today! Stay non glamorous.
God Bless,
Stephen
