Had a bad practice session

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?

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

I say take a break from it and relax then try again another day.

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Originally Posted by atomcorr2

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

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that's what i always say too, just keep plodding on, it'll come.

cheers Mark

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.

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.

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.

1) Relax.
2) Just play.
3) Kick an inanimate object.
4) Repeat as necessary.

Atomcorr2 pretty much nailed it on the head....

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Originally Posted by atomcorr2

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

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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.

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.

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.

i'm having a bad month of practice.

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 :drumset-3:

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.

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Originally Posted by kyle102565

btw, my wifes hot!

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Pics or it didn't happen lol!

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.

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Originally Posted by late8

Pics or it didn't happen lol!

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+1

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Originally Posted by xLRLL138RLRRx

Smoke some herbage.

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Heck of a first post............Welcome

Well, certainly don't throw sticks.......or anything else at the wall. Where does that get you?

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Originally Posted by late8

Pics or it didn't happen lol!

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the one in white

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...ps06a6b62e.jpg

heres a shot of me shocking the pastor and my new wife thinking "oh no here we go again"

http://i1191.photobucket.com/albums/...psc9ca9e83.jpg

name the caption

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.