6 month mark and progress

[danydew]

Hello all. I have a silly question, specifically for the teachers out there. I've been playing about 6 months and take lessons weekly. I know everyone learns at a different pace, but I'm curious to know where students usually are at the 6 month mark. I'm trying to get a sense of my progress and have nothing to compare it to. I've asked my teacher how I'm doing and the response was simply "you're doing great." Which is wonderful, but I'm curious to know where most people are at 6 months when they've been studying with a teacher.

Thank you!

[Markadiddle]

What have you learned so far? Counting, reading, etc.? Can you play along to a metronome?

[danydew]

I can read/count music and site reading is getting better and faster. Yes to playing to metronome. If it helps, we have gone through simple rock grooves, and are now working on simple blues grooves, funk/rock grooves (struggling a little with the 16th notes on the bass but if I slow it down I'm ok - i.e, trying to run before walking . We are also working on 16th notes fills at a speed of 75 bpm. We work out of the books 1001 Drum Grooves and Linear Drumming, plus he usually gives me a song to learn the basic beat to. The last song we did was Rolling in the Deep. Does that help?

[Markadiddle]

Sounds like you're doing awesome for only playing for 6 months! I'm not a teacher by any means, but when I started taking lessons again about a year ago, when I hit the 6 month mark, I was about where you are. The only difference is, I used to play 20+ years ago and had forgotten a lot.

I would say if you are already site reading, playing 16th note fills, can count and can keep time to a metronome, I'd say you are doing awesome! One more thing, you also have to remember that everyone learns at a different pace.

[danydew]

Thank you Markadiddle. I'm sure you picked everything back up without any problem at all! My teacher is a professional drummer who does studio sessions and is in 2 different bands so I see him play and my logical brain says, "he's been playing forever, he has a degree in it hello!" But there's also that part that says "when am I going to be able to play like that? when does it start clicking in to place?" I thought maybe if I knew a general sense of what 6 months looks like I could have a more realistic idea of my progress instead of very illogically comparing my lack to his skills. I know, I know, what can I say. I'm human.

[Markadiddle]

I'd say you were doing pretty good if you have only been playing for 6 months, as in, never picked up a drumstick in your entire life. If you're already site reading and playing fills, hey, you're doing great!

Try not to get discouraged. I find myself doing that a lot because I used to be a fairly decent drummer back in my 20's. I have to keep telling myself the same thing, walk before you run again. There are also lesson days where I am picking up everything my teacher is giving me and then there are days where I want to act like Keith Moon and blow up my kit.

I'm waiting to see if anyone else chimes in here. I know there are other teachers on this board like Drumbledore and Shane Roney.

Hang in there, you're doing awesome!

[pastor_bob]

danydew, I agree that it sounds like you're doing great for being just 6 months into your lessons. Are you satisfied with your lessons? Is your teacher communicating with you enough (if not talk to him/her about your need for a little more communication)? Part of teaching is knowing when to push a student, and when to encourage them. My first teacher was not much of a communicator, and I needed structure and communication (as well as some encouragement), so that I knew where I was going. I had to find another teacher to get what I wanted.

As long as you're happy with your teacher, I would say that you are doing very well.

[danydew]

We have good communication as far as how I did on that week's homework. As far as an overall progress report from time to time, not really. What he does say consistently is "wait until you see where you are a year from now." He's pretty laid back and extremely patient so I wouldn't say he pushes, or at least not in an obvious way.

[rickthedrummer]

"wait until you see where you are a year from now."

That's not a statement that most beginning musicians want to hear, but it is true.

That time between the 1 and 2 year mark pretty much tells the tale. You seem to have the right approach to it, which is great, as many musicians are in a rush to learn their chosen instrument.

You are probably right where you should be for 6 months, and your teacher also appears to have a good approach to teaching, which is a real plus.

I wish you well in your drum adventure and keep in mind that if you play for 100 years, you will still be learning things.

[Markadiddle]

We have good communication as far as how I did on that week's homework. As far as an overall progress report from time to time, not really. What he does say consistently is "wait until you see where you are a year from now." He's pretty laid back and extremely patient so I wouldn't say he pushes, or at least not in an obvious way.

That's a great thing when you have good communication with your teacher. That's exactly why I just changed teachers about a month ago. I didn't feel like he was giving me enough feedback on what I had learned from the previous week. Plus, he was always trying to jam too much into 1/2 hour. There were lesson days where I would go to my lesson, he would start showing me a new fill idea and sit and jam for 10 minutes. 10 minutes equates to 1/3 of my entire lesson time. I now have a private drum teacher that comes to my house, gives me an hour long lesson and sometimes stays well past an hour. I asked him why he does that. His answer was that if he feels like he is making a breakthrough on something, he wants to continue. The thing that I really enjoy about this new teacher is that he will take time with me to review what we have been working on. If I don't quite understand something, he will break it down even further until I get it. I have made more progress with this teacher in one month than I did in an entire six month period with my other teacher.

Anyway, enough of my rambling on. Keep it going and you'll get to where you want to be. I still think you're doing great for only 6 months of lessons.

[danydew]

I totally get what you are saying Markadiddle. This is my second teacher. I studied with my first teacher for two months and all he did was push and push hard. It was sucking all the fun out of it. I hit my breaking point when at 2 months in he handed me Solo No. 1 to learn, keeping in mind I had never held a pair of drumsticks before that.

[rickthedrummer]

For every good teacher out there, there are a hundred hacks that are looking for the money and don't care past that point.

The 1 you have now seems to work it with your ability level and doesn't try to rush you.

[Tin Toad]

sounds to me like you are progressing at a fine pace. and that you have a good relationship with an instructor thats good for you.

"when am I going to be able to play like that?

never .. .. but thats good you will play like you not like your teacher. I know that's not what you meant but a good thing I keep telling myself is not to compare myself to anyone else. and to not try and play like anyone else. maybe steal some of their licks but be my own drummer.

[almostmatt1]

That's a great thing when you have good communication with your teacher. That's exactly why I just changed teachers about a month ago. I didn't feel like he was giving me enough feedback on what I had learned from the previous week. Plus, he was always trying to jam too much into 1/2 hour. There were lesson days where I would go to my lesson, he would start showing me a new fill idea and sit and jam for 10 minutes. 10 minutes equates to 1/3 of my entire lesson time. I now have a private drum teacher that comes to my house, gives me an hour long lesson and sometimes stays well past an hour. I asked him why he does that. His answer was that if he feels like he is making a breakthrough on something, he wants to continue. The thing that I really enjoy about this new teacher is that he will take time with me to review what we have been working on. If I don't quite understand something, he will break it down even further until I get it. I have made more progress with this teacher in one month than I did in an entire six month period with my other teacher.

Sounds like you have an excellent teacher, Mark!

I started playing self taught. My playing got pretty good, but when I started taking lessons, of course I had to learn to read, play to a metronome etc, and that was something I hadn't done before. I was stubborn and progressed slowly. You've picked up much more than I did in my six months of lessons.

It really does sound like you're doing pretty well for 6 months, awesome stuff! if you can, take a video of you playing every month or so, it'll be interesting to compare later down the track.

[MDK]

I agree your probably a little aheadwhere I was at the 6 month mark. My 1st teacher had me doing wrist exercises with a 4lb tomahawk..LOL he was a scary dude and I knew after the 2nd lesson I needed to look elsewhere.

Good teachers are hard to find. Have you played with other musicians yet? or talked to your teacher about when you should start?

[KCJones]

What have you learned so far? Counting, reading, etc.? Can you play along to a metronome?

I agree your probably a little aheadwhere I was at the 6 month mark. My 1st teacher had me doing wrist exercises with a 4lb tomahawk..LOL he was a scary dude and I knew after the 2nd lesson I needed to look elsewhere.

Good teachers are hard to find. Have you played with other musicians yet? or talked to your teacher about when you should start?

Haha, that's awesome! Was he wearing army fatigues and reading Guns & Ammo while you played?

[KCJones]

My biggest learning was to accept that all this takes time. If you're putting in the work it'll come. That and I stopped trying to compare myself to the Great ones. Some of these guys are other worldly and crazy gifted... and still put in the work!

It's already been said but sounds like you're doing everything right!

[ronyd]

That's a great thing when you have good communication with your teacher. That's exactly why I just changed teachers about a month ago. I didn't feel like he was giving me enough feedback on what I had learned from the previous week. Plus, he was always trying to jam too much into 1/2 hour. There were lesson days where I would go to my lesson, he would start showing me a new fill idea and sit and jam for 10 minutes. 10 minutes equates to 1/3 of my entire lesson time. I now have a private drum teacher that comes to my house, gives me an hour long lesson and sometimes stays well past an hour. I asked him why he does that. His answer was that if he feels like he is making a breakthrough on something, he wants to continue. The thing that I really enjoy about this new teacher is that he will take time with me to review what we have been working on. If I don't quite understand something, he will break it down even further until I get it. I have made more progress with this teacher in one month than I did in an entire six month period with my other teacher.

Anyway, enough of my rambling on. Keep it going and you'll get to where you want to be. I still think you're doing great for only 6 months of lessons.

+1 Markdiddle... I was in the same boat for about 6 months. I had a teacher who is a great drummer, but lacking in teaching ability. Never held sticks in my hand, and pushing to get me to play songs, when I didn;t even know what my hands had to do. Yes, if anything I learned how to read music. Everything e;lse was skimmed or ignored... From rudiments to stick control.=, and hand technique. Here play these paradiddles, work on triplet with accents. But, what are my hands supposed to do when an accent is to be played, my hands down, up, getting ready to go up.. Another words moeller or stick heights. None was taught. So, new teacher, roll back in time (lost time) that is, and start over. 3-4 months on all the rudiments on the pad and drumset, moeller, etc. Now I fell like I know what I'm doing. Of course I have a great educator/ player from Berklee. But well worth it.

anyways everything being said by others is right on.

[pastor_bob]

Welcome to Drum Chat ronyd, and thanks for giving us your own experiences.

[zzzdanz]

Find a teacher to study with that YOU are comfortable with..ask ?'s..dont be pressured..it is after all, your money paying for it..Dont ever walk away with questions unanswered , and always play, because you want to...don't track progress.

1 day it will click and you'll feel like ya hit the lottery...be it 6 months or 6 yrs...play,enjoy,repeat.

[danydew]

Thank you all for your input. I'm feeling good about where I am and the communication level I have with my teacher. I hope everyone gets to have as good an experience as I am having!

[HolyChina]

Stick to the metronome and keep counting being able to do it while playing. And practice makes perfect. Doing great it sounds like

[inthpktplayer]

If after 6 months you're sticking with it, I'd say you're doing just fine. You'll be amazed at where you'll find yourself after a year.

[markthechuck]

keep plugging away, some things will seem difficult when you start but keep going and you'll be fine.

[Redeye]

I just noticed this thread or would have commented much sooner. This may sound strange, but when I take on a new totally beginning student, we will not have even touched a full drumset at 6 months in. Granted, I teach more percussion in the orchestral, concert, and marching style, so there are more things to cover. In middle school, its snare and mallets mostly, then we pick up tympani, set, and maybe hand drums in high school. I'm not sure how old you are, but if you are out of school, then skipping all that makes sense, but I would still spend as much time as you can stand just with your hands on one drum. Also - learn to read complicated stuff as soon as you can, even if it's beyond your playing ability right now. It's amazing how much easier it is to learn a part if you can already accurately visualize how it should sound. Keep your knowledge ahead of your hands for as long as you can.