ya have to have the bad days to know when your having a good day , right ? it happens to everybody . dont worry about it . it happens
Last night when trying to practice, I was just off all night. I got frustrated and angry. I threw my sticks against the wall... I couldn't get into a groove nor feel one for that matter
I was trying to learn the heel toe method. I just couldn't get it to work. I tried working on Tommy Igoe's Half Time Rock Groove #10 and Funk Groove #11. I couldn't get it. I started playing along with music that I have played along two for the last few months; I couldn't keep in time or get in a groove.
So, what do y'all do to cope with bad practice sessions?
Mapex Pro M Cherry Fade
Evans G2 / Genera Reso's on toms.
Evans EC Reverse Dot on Snare
Remo Powerstroke 3 batter / reso on bass.
Can't find the right stick atm.
Zildjian
PDP and SP hardware
Mapex Raptor Direct Drive and DW 7000 series Double Bass Pedals.
ya have to have the bad days to know when your having a good day , right ? it happens to everybody . dont worry about it . it happens
Tamaholic
I say take a break from it and relax then try again another day.
Have you got you're ticket for the rock train? You gotta earn that Ticket!!
Premier Genista - Pearl Masters - Primus custom snare - Zildjian A Custom- DW 5000 pedal - Zildjian Zack Starkey sticks
I play lead Drums
I tend to get those once in awhile. I'm all pumped up listening to tunes in the car, but since my commute is so long when I get home I'm tired and I force myself to play. It doesn't always work out. You need to feel energized and enthusiastic about it otherwise it may turn out to be a bad practice.
DW Performance Series
Peavey Radial Pro RBS-1
Roland TDW-20
Gibraltar rack system
Sabian AA/AAX/HHX/Vault
Tama pedals
There are good days and bad days regarding performance in everything you do. Like at school, or at work, it's just magnified when it happens while being involved with something we're passionate about. It will pass. Take a break and I'll bet the next time you play you'll have an epiphany.
Custom Classic Pro Maple 6
8",10",12",13" Mounted Toms
(2)14",16" Floor Toms
22" x 18" Kick
6",8",10" Roto Toms
14" x 6.5" Mapex Black Panther Snare
13" x 3" Pearl Piccolo Snare
Sabian: 13" Paragon Hats
14" HH X Hats
22" Paragon Ride
(2) 16" Paragon Crashes
20" Paragon Crash
18" Paragon Crash
20" Paragon Small Flange China
19" Paragon China
Wuhan:20"with gingles
8",10" Splash
Roc N Soc Lunar
DW 8002B Pedals
Tambourine
Cowbell
Sabian Squad
C C Militia
I walk away from the kit for a few days when I get frustrated or I'll just sit next to it and just stare at the hardware and find how dirty it is, then the chrome polish comes out and the rack gets a good cleaning and before long I'm polishing cymbals or tearing down the kit to reconfig the layout. So what I'm getting at is there's more to owning a kit than just jamming on it. When I get side-tracked on maintanence, I feel as though I'm my own drum tech and I tweek my kit until I feel like a drummer again. I've been repeating this cycle and its helped me through the rough patches we all get time to time.
"...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube
668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.
"A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8
I suggest getting an egg timer. Work on something new for 5 minutes. No more. Do not allow yourself to play it incorrectly. Slow the tempo down to the fastest tempo you can play what it is you are trying to get without mistakes. Sometimes this can be painfully slow. Do it at that tempo for 5 minutes. Timer rings, get off the throne and walk away. do something else totally unrelated, take a nap, whatever. Then come back to it much later or (even better) the next day. I've found that when I can't play something, doing this, then sleeping on it. The next day I can play it, at least at a better tempo, again for 5 minutes, walk away. It's like you put the idea or concept of the rhythym or beat out there and then as you sleep your brain re-wires the connection from the brain to the muscle so that you are more capable next time. Eventually, mastery! And it becomes automatic.
Cut it large and kick it into place!
Frustration is normal emotion. It's up to you to control how it effects you.
1. Invite it. If you aren't getting frustrated - maybe you are not pushing yourself as hard as you can. It's hard to get outside your comfort zone and grow if you are not pushing yourself hard enough.
2. Control it. Don't let frustration control you. Once you realized you are getting frustrated, back off and pull back a little. Work on simplifying what you are doing and make the situation a little easier for you. Good practice, even if it's simpler, is more productive than bad practice.
3. Evaluate it. Try to understand why you are getting frustrated. Did you have a long day, are you tired, is there something on your mind? If you can pinpoint these variables - you can change them in the fututre, or at least work around them so you can reset your expectations.
4. Accept it. Don't let frustration let you quit. Frustration is a killer. Just understand that there are good days and bad days. The more you modify your routine/goal to a attainable level - the more you'll be able to progress.
5. Deal with it. Most importantly....understand that everything I just told you about dealing with frustration can sometimes be useless, and you just need to put the sticks down, grab a beer and watch TV.
"The problem with information on the Internet is that you can not validate it's authenticity. " -Abraham Lincoln
SILVERFOX DRUMSTICKS & SOULTONE CYMBALS Endorsing Artist.
I have bad practices after a 1/2 century playing these damn fool things.
Stick happens.
Thanks for all the suggestions y'all. I ended up just going to bed. I think the thing with me is I am some what of a perfectionist. I am really hard on myself. Especially when it comes to trying to be less tense when playing.
With the half time shuffle groove I was working on, I was good when I played all the notes straight on the ride cymbal. When I tried moving beats 1 & 3 to the bell of the ride, it just all fell apart.
I am heading out with friends to relax tonight after work. Maybe when I get home if it's not too late, I may sit down and work on only one thing just to see how I feel. I just may need a relaxer.
Mapex Pro M Cherry Fade
Evans G2 / Genera Reso's on toms.
Evans EC Reverse Dot on Snare
Remo Powerstroke 3 batter / reso on bass.
Can't find the right stick atm.
Zildjian
PDP and SP hardware
Mapex Raptor Direct Drive and DW 7000 series Double Bass Pedals.
i'm having a bad month of practice.
RDM/Damage Poets
UFiP TAMAHA Zildjian
REGAL TiP
AQUARIAN
I hate those, just like every one else said just step away for a day or too, and everything will be good again
Keep on drumming
Happy Drumming!
IS15
for me i have to listen to music before i play, gets me in the mood.
no different than seeing my wife dressed up to go out.
it has to come from the soul otherwise just look at them until you're ready to sit on the throne.
JR Robinson told me to think of my wifes *** swaying to the beat as i play and it works!
btw, my wifes hot!
I recently had the same feeling. For some reason I felt like my legs were too heavy to do double bass on a song ive practiced many times. I tried the next day felt the same. Stopped for a day and went back to it the next and felt better.
Smoke some herbage.
I always try to do whatever exercise I am learning the right way a few times and then stop before I completely lose it. The next time I play it is a little easier. Practicing a few times throughout the day also helps.
I snap my drumsticks over my knee, then throw the shards at the guitar player (it was his fault in the first place. Always is.), then I stomp off like a "fit having six year old" and go get a cold brew from the fridge. Sometimes I come back, sometimes I don't.
In all seriousness though, sometimes you just have to step away and come back at it again with a fresh mind and body. Those frustrating days make us better. They are a necessary evil to anything you do, whether it's sports, music or life in general.
PDP MX Series Drums, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, Tama Simon Phillips Gladiator Signature snare, Roc-N-Soc throne.
Well, certainly don't throw sticks.......or anything else at the wall. Where does that get you?
I practiced like crap on Friday, then jammed later that night and loosened up and felt pretty good and had a great jam. Have no idea why that happens. Happens when I work out on the weights, too, run, play basketball. Hmm, I'm starting to notice a theme here. Hang in there, man, just keep working. You'll work right through it.
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