Practice For Beginners.....

I'm trying to get the most out of my practice sessions. Any good ideas? I feel like I may be wasting time on meaningless stuff. This is a typical practice session for me:

First 30 minutes or so I practice rudiments (singles, doubles, paradiddles, flam tap with a metronome (I still can't figure out what to do with a flam or how to count it so I don't practice the flam too much, only the flam tap). The next hour I work in my Drumming For Dummies book (yes I bought it) and I go through the 8th note feel beats and the 16th note feel beats and play them with my metronome. After that I will go over the half time feel beats and the rock shuffle (which is very difficult). Then if I'm not too tired I will put some of my favorite songs on and I will practice some of the beats from my book or I'll do rudiments to a song.

Does this sound like a good practice session or should I be doing something else or adding something? I've read endless materials on the internet and I'm getting all different ideas on what is important and what is the most useful. I don't want to waste an hour or two on stuff that isn't going to make me a better drummer.

Sounds better and more routine then any of my practice sessions

Sounds damn good to me.

The main thing you've got to try to balance is those exercises that feel a bit more like 'work' and the stuff that's straight out 'fun'. I always try to do work first, then apply the work in a fun setting ... but in practice I seem to flit between the two.

You could also mix it up by picking up a book such as 'Stick Control' by George Lawrence Stone (one of the all-time great drumming books - and it's solely targetted at stick work, so you don't need a full kit for it) and work your way through this. It's got rudiments and the like, but it applies them in so many different ways that it's always refreshing and feels new almost every time. I spent a couple of hours with a practice pad and 'Stick Control' in front of the TV last night, and really enjoyed it. It got me excited enough to head back to the kit and apply some ideas (despite my partners grumbling).

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Originally Posted by Jobby

Sounds damn good to me.

The main thing you've got to try to balance is those exercises that feel a bit more like 'work' and the stuff that's straight out 'fun'. I always try to do work first, then apply the work in a fun setting ... but in practice I seem to flit between the two.

You could also mix it up by picking up a book such as 'Stick Control' by George Lawrence Stone (one of the all-time great drumming books - and it's solely targetted at stick work, so you don't need a full kit for it) and work your way through this. It's got rudiments and the like, but it applies them in so many different ways that it's always refreshing and feels new almost every time. I spent a couple of hours with a practice pad and 'Stick Control' in front of the TV last night, and really enjoyed it. It got me excited enough to head back to the kit and apply some ideas (despite my partners grumbling).

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Thanks Jobby, I'm going to get that book........

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Originally Posted by drum_chick

Thanks Jobby, I'm going to get that book........

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You won't regret it.

It's a truly great resource. The other one that's worth checking out in the same vein is Joe Morello's 'Master Studies' - which was conceived as a continuation of 'Stick Technique'. But it's a bit more advanced, so probably best to hold off for a bit.

I can't rave about 'Stick Technique' enough. It looks so very simple, but presents so many different ways of doing things and so many different ideas. An absolute classic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jobby

You won't regret it.

It's a truly great resource. The other one that's worth checking out in the same vein is Joe Morello's 'Master Studies' - which was conceived as a continuation of 'Stick Technique'. But it's a bit more advanced, so probably best to hold off for a bit.

I can't rave about 'Stick Technique' enough. It looks so very simple, but presents so many different ways of doing things and so many different ideas. An absolute classic.

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Thanks, I really need to get my stick technique working better. I'm not having any problems with the basic beats, I actually find them very easy, the sticking is where I'm lacking and since I'm not going to be getting a drum kit for a while I figure I can really work on my sticking. By the time I get a drum kit my stick techniques will be great. Thanks again!

sounds like a good practice session DC. A majority of people I have found don't even have a schedule, they just practice a few things here and there, and then fool around. not saying fooling round is pointless, its actually very fun and you can learn stuff from just fool'n round, well at least i do. but looks like your devoting lots of your time to practice.. good stuff!! just don't force to your self to the point of no return and make it so practicing is just killing you, have fun too:)

Wow drum chick,

Man I need more discipline in my practice and playing routine, because yours is awesome and mine is horrible, good job drum chick.

Still waiting on a video