Random days your playing sucks

Davo-London

Gold Member
Does anyone have those moments when they for no apparent reason just play real sloppy?

I've been playing 6 years and played an absolute blinder on Sunday in my worship band.

Then at practice a day later I sound rubbish, i.e. sloppy, inaccurate etc.

Does anyone else have those days?

Davo
 
Yeah for sure, I'm 99% sure that it is down to your state of mind more than anything else.

Often when I have a top notch session the next one will be awful...because I'm expecting to be as good again. When I'm not, even by a fraction or two, my playing falls to piece due to self doubt. I need to learn some jedi mind tricks!
 
It's just how in the moment you are - how connected with reality you are at the time. Also if I'm not happy with the sound I find it harder to get into a flow state.
 
Yesterday, I posted this on my facebook profile: "Tried playing some drums today and it was horrible! My timing was everywhere, sloppy execution, weak double strokes, it was a mess, I felt tired and unispired so I stopped about 45 minutes in. Everyone has bad days, not much to do except get over it and go at it again tomorrow."
 
Hahaha this is so true!! :)

Somedays I sit on my kit, set the click and just start flowing. Great ideas, fills, everything nice and neat.

And somedays nothing sounds right and I get angry, frustrated and tired.

I don't know why.. but yeah, it happens! :)
 
I can't say I really have bad days. If I warm up fully, my playing is the mostly the same. I like to do 30 minutes of rudiments and another 30 minutes of foot drills, to a metronome.

If you try to start drumming to a song dead cold, you'll likely play worse.
 
I have off days and on days.... and in-between days. Absolutely! I try to get my window of ability up as high as I can... so that my worst days are as good as they possibly can be.

I think some people are definitely better at getting themselves in the right state of mind to at least feel good about their playing most of the time. And some people struggle with extreme variations... feeling some days that they are completely incompetent or unable to accomplish what they want to.

My opinion is that every musician experiences this, and that it is possible to improve upon it, but you'll never get to the point where you're always 100% satisfied with your playing.

If you ever feel like that... it's a bad sign. You won't go anywhere new.
 
Im totally aware of this. I've tried it many times... When i play while my instructor listens im not confident very much.. I want to impress.. but it turns out shit.
I remember him walking in while i was messing around - sounded pretty neat. then when he came i screw'd up
It may not be the same situation as the other guys, but that's where i experience it atleast. and i think there's different situations for different players.
Another thing is, someone mentioned about drums sound. Well i know if my drums is out of tune. I hardly play them - and if i do it sucks. Not before they're tuned.
I don't schedule my playing. I mess around. try to learn some nice fills. rythms. I don't give much for rudiments now. though everyone says it's the way forward. I like playing for fun and practice to improve. It's two different things...
If you play boring stuff all the time. You won't be very happy, it would feel like a rock leaving your heart everytime you play. Something you want to get over. That's NOt the way it should be.

Hope it was helpful. Bertram.
 
Yeah it happens all the time and i hate it. Some days i will literally play like a god, and i walk away from the kit feeling like Neil Peart's apprentice. Then some days i will walk away like, wow that was terrible i am such an amateur. Nice to know it happens to others as well.
 
Maybe this is the glass half full answer but I truely believe most days I'm ok to adequate...with a rare occasional day when I'm really on things are clicking, I'm right in the pocket then throw in some ablibs and manage to suprise myself (how did I do that?) ..these are fun days when they come...though few and far between..
 
Does anyone have those moments when they for no apparent reason just play real sloppy?

I've been playing 6 years and played an absolute blinder on Sunday in my worship band.

Then at practice a day later I sound rubbish, i.e. sloppy, inaccurate etc.

Does anyone else have those days?

Davo

Yes to all the above - it happens!
 
Here's another spin on it:
Does anyone have those moments when they for no apparent reason just play great?

At practice I sounded rubbish, i.e. sloppy, inaccurate etc.

Yet I played an absolute blinder on Sunday..

Does anyone else have those days?

 
Whenever I sit down to play, I try to impress myself with something at least once, wether it's a cool beat, or a neat fill that I pull out of the air, if I don't manage to impress myself once, I'm not satisfied with that "session".
 
Here's another spin on it:
Does anyone have those moments when they for no apparent reason just play great?

At practice I sounded rubbish, i.e. sloppy, inaccurate etc.

Yet I played an absolute blinder on Sunday..

Does anyone else have those days?


Yes to all the above - it happens :)

I've been terrified before a show cause sticks were flying at practice, going brain dead with ques etc... Show turned out great!

Practice my ass off , put extra time in on the pad, extra warm-up time...Show not so good - felt chopped out after the first few songs.
 
I don't have random days, but Friday evenings I don't even bother. Must be tired from the weeks work but just feel weak and rubbery.
 
sometimes your just not feeling it...this can be from overwhelming yourself with drumming...taking time away from the kit for a few days every few months definately helps stop this....gotta keep the passion fresh man.... but regardless we all have bad days
 
Wow, great responses. Thought I was being a bit weird.

I have been too tired to play before and I just stopped. I guess you've got to know your limits.

I like the idea of impressing oneself each practice. I'm going to think about that one.

Cheers
Davo
 
OH yeah!!!!
I've also had nights like this when others will say I sounded GREAT???

Go figure, are they DEAF, or am I too critical about my own playing????

Just because it feels bad to ME, does that really mean it feels BAD???

It's a quandary!!!!





Does anyone have those moments when they for no apparent reason just play real sloppy?

I've been playing 6 years and played an absolute blinder on Sunday in my worship band.

Then at practice a day later I sound rubbish, i.e. sloppy, inaccurate etc.

Does anyone else have those days?

Davo
 
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