One thing to do today
Learning a musical instrument is learning a language. Each instrument in the percussion family has it’s own set of techniques and styles to learn. Each style has it’s own language structures. It can be overwhelming. Where do you start? The real answer is: Just Start.
One thing today, just one little thing today, will help you begin that journey. First you need to know where you are at with your skills, and you will need to plan around your goals to make a practice routine that will help you progress. Hiring a drum coach will help you do that.
Until then, you can start by assessing your playing in several different ways.
1) Take the 40 essential rudiments page, and play through all of them. This is drum language skills. Knowing these rudiments will give you musical words and phrases. They are not the end all and be all of making music on the drums, but they sure help in being creative once you know them.
2) Take a metronome to your drum set and play a groove you know very well at 60BPM, 90BPM, 120BPM and 160BPM. This will show you how well you know your groove, and also help you learn where your gaps in playing speed are. Using a metronome will take you a long way in becoming steady.
3) Play along to a song you know and like. Record yourself. Watch it back. Listen to your timing and your accuracy.
4) From your self assessments, create a list of goals that you have for your playing. Put them into a long term goal list and a short term goal list. Now you know where to start!
So do one thing today. Just one. Get started. Assess where you are at, and just start with one new thing today. If you look back in a year, doing just one thing a day will make you that much further ahead than you would be if you did nothing. Go on. You’re worth it!
Consistency will get you there. Perfection will not!
My Mantra is: Discipline Over Motivation, Practice with Intention and Be Kind to Yourself
Go on. You’re worth it!
To book your Zoom lesson or learn more, contact Celene.
Celene Yohemas is a Percussionist, Drummer, and Educator from Calgary, AB Canada. She teaches clinics, private lessons, and zoom group lessons.