Other than practice- quickest way to improve?

cantstoplt021

Senior Member
I know regular practice is the quickest way to improve in anything, but if you could recommend something other than that that leads to quick improvement what would it be? I'm a guitarist who is learning drums with the goal of actually being good at them. I know for guitar playing the thing that has made the most difference for me in terms of my growth is going the old school route and learning songs and solos with my ears, not with tabs or video lessons. This has absolutely made a huge difference in my playing and I wouldn't be where I'm at now without putting the hours in with transcribing off of recordings. Are drums the same way? Is one of the best ways to progress by taking drummers and grooves that you like and figuring them out by yourself? Or is that time spent better doing other things?
 
I know regular practice is the quickest way to improve in anything, but if you could recommend something other than that that leads to quick improvement what would it be? I'm a guitarist who is learning drums with the goal of actually being good at them. I know for guitar playing the thing that has made the most difference for me in terms of my growth is going the old school route and learning songs and solos with my ears, not with tabs or video lessons. This has absolutely made a huge difference in my playing and I wouldn't be where I'm at now without putting the hours in with transcribing off of recordings. Are drums the same way? Is one of the best ways to progress by taking drummers and grooves that you like and figuring them out by yourself? Or is that time spent better doing other things?

You already know the answer.
 
Recording and listening back. You immediately hear what works, what doesn't work, and what almost works. I have yet to find any one thing other than recording your playing and listening back..that will change your playing for the better this quickly.

The only issue for you is.... it works better when you listen back to yourself in a band situation. Listening back to your practice sessions....still can't hurt. But it's not the same as if you were in a band and listening to see if your tempo is right, your dynamics (volumes) are right, your musical choices are right...

By dropping the bad bits, and keeping the good, you improve by omission.

Playing to covers, recording and listening to them may help, but you're not really marking the time, you're following. Not even close to the same thing.

If you're a guitarist first, you have to think in a totally different, almost opposite way.... to think like a drummer. Since you're a guitarist, maybe that will be a good thing... in that as a guitarist, you know what a drummer shouldn't be doing. It's probably a better perspective to start from, compared to a drummer who never played guitar, and maybe doesn't understand that the drums are not a lead instrument, generally speaking.

I know when I first started out, when it came time for a guitar to take a lead, my thinking was, OK he gets to cut loose here, so I will too. Yea, that didn't work well for me lol. Drummers have to have everyone's back. We don't have the freedom that the other instruments enjoy. My opinion only that I don't expect a lot of agreement on. Seeing a drummer who really understands the role of drums in music is a beautiful thing from my perspective.
 
Like Larry said, record yourself with the band, also you can pick up lots of music minus drums CD's to play along with. It's a real ear opener believe me.

Listen, listen and listen some more.
 
Obviously practicing is the number one key to getting good and staying good. But I also highly recommend a few other things to advance more quickly in drumming.

Listen to a lot of music, different styles, genres, and artists, and learn to "speak" the different stylistic languages very proficiently. Jazz, blues, and pop/rock all have very different stylistic conventions, but learning those conventions makes you a better listener and player. You begin to be able to anticipate directions in music, play for the song, and catch little nuances that bridge the gap between functional player and musical player.

If possible, attempt to pick up a second instrument. Keyboard instruments, guitars, and basses are popular choices for drummers. You already play guitar, so think about drumming in terms of what you as a guitarist would want the drummer to do. You already learned a big lesson - solos are just that, not multi-instrument freakout moments. But from there you can also understand the musical nuances of songs from another perspective. If the guitarist does a lick at the end of the vocal line, do the drums follow the lick, accent the lick, or keep steady? These are all valid choices depending on the style, the dynamic, and the song.

Study the instrument and how to wring tone out of it. I am constantly amazed at how guitar players will obsess over strings, pedals, amps, effects, even the brand of cord they use to get a certain sound or tone. But the majority of drummers are in the dark about how to even tune properly, much less how to play the instrument musically versus beating the crap out of it. At some point the sound has to evolved from thud-bang to something sonically pleasing. The answer is usually not in gear selection, but in a bit of knowledge of the instrument's mechanics and a lot of knowledge of how to use touch and feel correctly.

And play out! Play with folks at all skill levels. Challenge yourself in playing situations. We learn best by doing.
 
My advice is pay for an in-demand instructor that inspires you to play and practice. One that understands the styles of music you want to play, especially. That is how you will improve the most, jmo.

It isn't for everyone though, and can be expensive.

An instructor not only will help you build the necessary foundation to accomplish your future goals, they'll help you read and write drum notation fluently and easily. This is important because you truly can teach yourself drums once you can read and understand the loads of practice and performance studies out there.

Just in my opinion here; I really think repetition and solid technique from the beginning is most crucial.

But aside from the physical aspects and so forth, I think a little guidance from an instructor to get "over the hump" is huge.
 
Are drums the same way? Is one of the best ways to progress by taking drummers and grooves that you like and figuring them out by yourself? Or is that time spent better doing other things?

For the most part, yes. When you listen and learn with your ears, you know what works. Not only does it have to sound good, it has to feel good, and you only get that by listening to and knowing music. You said you're a guitar player, so I'll assume you know this already ;)

I've played with a lot of "book players" in college with beautiful instruments and they are definitely not getting the call when I'm looking for players for a project.
 
Another way to improve quickly is to play with others. You can woodshed in the basement for years, and it means almost nothing (exaggerating) until you play with others...and record yourself, always. Driving a band is the skill you need. You just can't get that sitting alone in a practice room, no matter how fast you get, or how well accomplished you are with your rudiments. Driving a band is a completely different skillset.

Go to open mic jams, watch other drummers, and play with others just ASAP. Continue your own private practice, preferably with a teacher...and a metronome....but definitely start playing with others, just as soon as you can make it happen.

You will find that you do not need blazing chops, or perfect rudiments. You will find that your feel, your musical choices, and your sensitivity to what the others are doing... are more important. I'm talking lyric based music.

Other heavier music, demands much more from a drummer IMO, and is out of my league.
 
Is one of the best ways to progress by taking drummers and grooves that you like and figuring them out by yourself?


I grew up in a very isolated rural community back in the fifties. This was the only way I learned to play. I had zero access to any instruction. Did this hurt my playing in any way? Absolutely. But I learned what i needed to know to play the music I love, and I've turned into a darn good drummer when it comes to playing with a band. I couldn't play a decent solo for the life of me, but when it comes to driving a band I do well. I would say take this route if it's what you like, but don't fail to avail yourself of the incredible resources available via the internet.

GeeDeeEmm
 
I know for guitar playing the thing that has made the most difference for me in terms of my growth is going the old school route and learning songs and solos with my ears, not with tabs or video lessons.

Are drums the same way? Is one of the best ways to progress by taking drummers and grooves that you like and figuring them out by yourself? Or is that time spent better doing other things?

Here's the thing: you won't be able to just "learn by ear", for a few reasons. First, drum recordings vary widely, and many songs the drum sound is so processed that it becomes nearly unrecognizable to the uninitiated. Second, many drum parts are played so quickly and/or with such complexity that you won't be able to comprehend what's happening. You'll try, and you might swear on your life that you're playing it accurately, but you won't be. The opposite is also true; something that sounds incredibly difficult is actually quite easy, but you get discouraged from trying because it sounds so complex. Finally, there are some lessons that are more quickly learned, or only learned, while playing with a band. You can swing the sticks any way you please when you're playing a few measures at a time, but to play good, solid time without stopping for several minutes forces you to examine all sorts of issues that you hadn't considered.

Your question "quickest way to improve" makes it seem like you want to hear one singular answer. The truth is that improvement takes a great many things, including formal instruction, self-guided instruction, ensemble experience, listening skills, and effective practice methods (as opposed to just plain old practice).

If you're serious about getting good, then get yourself into regular, recurring situations where there is some pressure on you to improve, such as a band learning songs and playing live performances, and private lessons with weekly goals and assignments. With both of these happening, crazy progress in a year is normal. Two years and you won't even recognize yourself.
 
Get with a band, preferably with players a little or more above your skill level. That is a huge step that will force you to improve very quickly.
 
Other's have said it, but I'll say it again.

When you are away from your kit, listen to lots of music, and this time around, really focus on what the drums and bass are doing. Get your head into the low end.
 
All posters are giving very good advice here.

I learned kind of like you learned guitar. My Dad (who was also my drum teacher) told me that the rudiments were the key to played the drums. But learning and practicing the rudiments on a pad was boring. So here is what I did when I was 8 years old:

I got a list of the 26 rudiments (there were only 26 in 1958). Then I put on my favorite music (rock and roll) and I played one rudiment on the drum set all of the way through one song. Also playing the bass drum and hi hat. I moved to the next song and rudiment and did the same thing. Every day I did this for each of the 26 rudiments.

Eventually I could mix and match the rudiments while playing any song. Then I would play the songs trying to simulate the drums parts of the songs. Knowing the rudiments made this pretty easy. At age 14 I joined a band. And as others here have stated playing with a band was a crucial part of my training.

I never had a single day of practice using a metronome. Never a single day without playing along to music. Of course my Dad did not like the way I practiced. (just imagine having Buddy Rich for a drum teacher)

This may not be good for everyone. Your mileage may vary.

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