Practice Tips

When it comes to getting better at drums, or anything for that matter, the most significant factor is the amount of quality time you spend PRACTICING. Unfortunately, no magic pill or potion will make you amazing overnight.

Practice is the most crucial but most challenging part of playing an instrument. If you master the skill of practising, you’ll become a drumming superstar in no time. Here are some tips and tricks to become a professional ‘practicer’.

Routine

My most important tip is to treat practice like brushing your teeth. It happens at the same time every day and is something you don’t often forget. Making a ROUTINE out of practice as soon as possible would be best. So pick a time of the day to practise at least five times a week consistently. For most school-aged students, this is usually as soon as they get home before they stare at a screen or start homework.

Space

WHERE you practise is also a very factor in the quality of your practice. It’s best to practice in a quiet room, with little to no distractions, like annoying siblings or TV.

Homework Book

It is an excellent idea to keep a HOMEWORK BOOK where you, or your teacher, write down what you are supposed to practice each week. This helps you track your progress and keep your practice sessions focused.

The Essentials

The essentials are METRONOME, STICKING, and COUNTING. These are your essential secret weapons for success; if you aren’t using them, your practice sessions won’t be very productive. 

Whenever you practice, you need to be playing along with a metronome so that you can develop your sense of time and give you goals to work towards.

It would be best to use whatever sticking is written above or below your music. The sticking (R’s and L’s above the notes) tell us what hands to use. R means your Right hand, and L means your left hand. Sticking is essential in developing the muscle memory required to be a confident drummer.

Lastly, and most importantly, you need to COUNT OUT LOUD. I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: Counting out loud is essential to learning how to drum. 

Remember to ABC … Always Be Counting!