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Thread: How long should it take to learn a full song cover

  1. #1

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    Default How long should it take to learn a full song cover

    I'm a beginner and it took me about 3 weeks, around 12 hours a week, of practicing Enter Sandman before I could play the whole song. That's about 36 hours of practice to play a super easy song. Am I going nowhere or is it normal to take this long? I feel like I'm just bad at drums.

  2. #2

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    Default Re: How long should it take to learn a full song cover

    It takes what it takes.

  3. #3

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    Some things come to me quicker than other things. I am hoping with more practice and being a better drummer they get easier!

  4. #4

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    Take heart!

    I may not have a ton of drumming experience, but I can certainly draw on my background in instrumental music in general. Some tunes will be harder and some easier, but the overall trend will be that it gets easier as you go. Figure it this way, the patterns you learned will apply themselves in other songs, they get hard-wired in your brain, and the more you pick up, the larger, more varied and more robust your "tool kit" becomes.

    Plus, just going through the routine of the practice of learning will become easier as you go. You'll find yourself picking up more things faster.

  5. #5

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    Metal, I think you and Lars spent the same amount of time learning that song!
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  6. #6

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    Well the time it takes is really based on 1. how difficult the song is, and 2. the skill level you can play at. That being said, as long as your trying and practicing, no matter how long it takes, your never a bad drummer unless you quit.
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  7. #7

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    Sometimes what happens to me is while I am learning a song, after a while it becomes like a chore sometimes. Then I lose interest in what I'm doing. So because of that, I don't just concentrate on one song anymore as I feel it makes me become stagnant. So I mix it up with either another song. Maybe some rudiments. Especially since your just beginning. I don't think you should devote your time to just one song. I think it is making you stagnant. Therefore it's taking you longer than it should to complete the task. Mix it up with other songs, and go through your rudiments at least twice a week.
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  8. #8

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    Depends on your skill level. Skilled drummers will be more able to listen to a song and understand and play what they hear right off the bat, and "predict" song structures and what the drummer may play next. Beginner drummers will usually have to spend more time analyzing the song and learning the coordination to play the new patterns.

    It also depends on the difficulty of the song. I could play a lot of RATM and SOAD songs after the first listen, whereas the Dance of Eternity by Dream Theater took months and I still can't play it perfectly.
    - Zack

  9. #9

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    I found early on when learning covers memory was just as important as your drumming ability. Listen to the songs often when you are away from your kit. Know them in your head and I think you will find them easier to learn on the kit.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Metal View Post
    I'm a beginner and it took me about 3 weeks, around 12 hours a week, of practicing Enter Sandman before I could play the whole song. That's about 36 hours of practice to play a super easy song. Am I going nowhere or is it normal to take this long? I feel like I'm just bad at drums.
    don't stress it probably took Lars that long too

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by wolvie56 View Post
    Sometimes what happens to me is while I am learning a song, after a while it becomes like a chore sometimes. Then I lose interest in what I'm doing. So because of that, I don't just concentrate on one song anymore as I feel it makes me become stagnant. So I mix it up with either another song. Maybe some rudiments. Especially since your just beginning. I don't think you should devote your time to just one song. I think it is making you stagnant. Therefore it's taking you longer than it should to complete the task. Mix it up with other songs, and go through your rudiments at least twice a week.
    This. 100%. Right now I am working on some original drum beats for a buddy who needs new music for his techno keyboard stuff. I get something down, screw it up again, change it to something different, screw that up, get pissed off, throw down my sticks, kick over my chair, walk away, listen to other music we have done together, and then finally get back to the drums and lay down the track of my life. I don't know why it takes all that frustration to finally get a result I'm happy with. I don't question it. It's just the way I get things done. And yes, sometimes I hear that recording a few years later, and absolutely hate it. Music can be utterly maddening and exhilarating at the same time.

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  12. #12

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    you know a whole song.. sweet.

    really I dont think I do. as everyone has said it takes how ever long it takes, chances are as you get better it takes less time because you have more beats and rhythms you know to pull from and apply to the song. Your ear gets better at pulling out the drum part of the song. and you just plain get better at learning the songs.
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  13. #13

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    also if one is trying to do it note for note it will take some time. Were doing a cover in our set right now and the drum part is close lol. I really flex in it. As long as a couple of the parts are always played at the right time and the same the rest can be tweaked a little.
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  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Northern Redneck View Post
    It takes what it takes.
    This is true.

    As long as you're improving and learning the track properly, it really doesn't matter. Just do your best to learn the piece accurately. It also depends on whether or not you're looking to cover the piece note-for-note, or just kinda improvise over the piece while still maintaining the song's original "feel," for lack of a better way to put it.

  15. #15

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    To the OP.....NR pretty much summed it up well. And also as Toothpaste just said, it depends whether you're just getting the song's overall feel and putting in spots of improvisation, or in fact you're trying to nail it note-for-note. As you gain more time behind the kit and more experience playing, then the process for learning new material will hopefully become quicker for yourself. Are you teaching yourself to play drums or are you getting lessons, by the way? If you do have a tutor, are they helping you to figure out songs, or are you doing that off your own bat? Learning to do a song note-for-note....especially if you're intending to perform that song, whether for video or live performance, is a bit of an art onto itself. Of course at first you might not like what you hear in your playing, but you got to give it time and patience. And anyone here on this forum who has been playing a while....whether it's 5 months, five years or five decades will tell you....you can never stop learning. That's what keeps me behind the set or percussion rig anyway.
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  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by imperialstar15 View Post
    Well the time it takes is really based on 1. how difficult the song is, and 2. the skill level you can play at. That being said, as long as your trying and practicing, no matter how long it takes, your never a bad drummer unless you quit.
    +1 I'm going with this.

    Just make sure that you're having fun learning, and everything will be fine. When you get frustrated, put the sticks down, and come back later when you're fresh again. Many times, I find that when i walk away my brain continues to work out the things that I couldn't do. Then, when I come back, everything is better.

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  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by slinglander View Post
    Metal, I think you and Lars spent the same amount of time learning that song!
    Man that's too funny!!! Well played!!

  18. #18

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    The more songs you learn the bigger your inventory of grooves, fills, beats will be and the faster you will learn successive songs. Much of practicing is building an inventory of stuff to play. It's like a tool kit. Keep adding tools.
    Life's too short to play the same solo twice. Improvise!

  19. #19

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    Did you just listen to it over and over ? Or watch videos ? My point is everyone learns things different some visual some by just hearing it kinda have to feel that one out by yourself.. I'm visual listening to someone play does nothing I can't tell what the heck they are doing but if I watch them I can learn it almost instantly.

  20. #20

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    For what it's worth, I have been playing for years, and still dont know any songs note for note
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  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnnySticks View Post
    The more songs you learn the bigger your inventory of grooves, fills, beats will be and the faster you will learn successive songs. Much of practicing is building an inventory of stuff to play. It's like a tool kit. Keep adding tools.
    Exactly what I was thinking.
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  22. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by Metal View Post
    I'm a beginner and it took me about 3 weeks, around 12 hours a week, of practicing Enter Sandman before I could play the whole song. That's about 36 hours of practice to play a super easy song. Am I going nowhere or is it normal to take this long? I feel like I'm just bad at drums.
    Two things I would like to add: First, t's not really a super easy song. It's not that difficult but Lars likes to change up his patterns within a time signature or part of the song to keep it somewhat interesting. So if you're trying to learn it note-for-note, it can take a while.

    Second, very, very rarely if ever is it required to play a song exactly note for note. Lars doesn't play it the same live as he did on the album and both are correct. So if he's allowed some artistic license with the song, aren't you allowed the same? Of course you are. So get the structure of the song down, get the feel of the song down and then play it like you'd play it.

    If you do it that way you'll find that not only is it a lot easier to learn a song but it's more enjoyable to play. It's a cool part of drumming when you add a fill or some other little bit that's totally yours and it works out.
    Robert

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