4 Tips to Overcome Frustration With Your Drumming

4 Tips to Overcome Frustration With Your Drumming

by Daniel N. Brown

Learning to play the drums is extremely frustrating if you
have never played drums before. That's why most newbies
begin to play and then soon quit. Their attitude becomes,
"What's the point? I'm never going to learn to play drums."
It's true that some people take to the drums faster than
others, but that is definitely no reason to quit. A person
must be patient with themselves in anything new they set out
to accomplish. It just isn't realistic to expect to play
drums well overnight.

Remember, frustration is a natural occurance in anything new
you set out to do. But, it's only temporary, if you can
outlast it.

There are four main points to learning to play the drums.
And, not only learning to play, but also getting better and
developing new skills.

1. Be Patient!

It isn't realistic to expect perfection overnight. It takes
time to develop drum skills. Since it's a combination of
coordination and timing, it will not come natural to you.
That's why you must develop it. Sure, it's frustrating, but
try to keep your cool. It will come with more practice.

Think about all the things you do everyday that take
coordination, like walking, talking, and eating. These
things were all learned. You couldn't do any of these things
very well when you were a baby. But, you developed them.
Sure you got frustrated, but you still learned them because
you had to. There was no choice in the matter if you were
going to survive as a human being.

Do you have a choice when it comes to your drumming? Sure
you do. The question is, how bad do you want to survive as a
drummer?

2. Practice, Man, Practice!

Like I said, quality drumming skills require a combination
of coordination and timing, and they will surely come with
practice. The question is, will you endure the frustration
you must go through while you develop them?

A key thing to remember is, when you feel yourself beginning
to get really irritated... stop. Come back and try again
later. Sometimes the more you try to practice through your
frustration the worse you get. The best thing to do is go
take a break, come back, and try again.

Another thing to remember about practicing your drums is,
don't think you must practice for any certain amount of
time. There really is a sort of magic that takes place if
you can somehow manage to just drum for only a few minutes
per day. And, if you are able to get a little drum practice
session in everyday it will be easy to monitor how you are
progressing because your improvements will be noticeable.
That will definitely keep you inspired!

3. Don't Compare Yourself!

For some reason drummers will always compare their own
weaknesses with another drummer's strengths. There is really
no way to feel good about yourself if you do that. It's
just not fair, and there's no logic in it. So, just be aware
of that.

Your style of drumming is your own, and you must develop it
the best you can. You don't need to drum like anyone else.
Sure, it's good if you can learn another drummer's cool
tricks, but there are some cool tricks of your own that may
be just lying dormant. Maybe if you stop concentrating so
hard on being like your favorite drummer you can bring your
own cool tricks alive.

Be your own best friend and realize you have something
special the world needs to hear.

4. Keep Your Passion Stirred Up!

If you keep your dream of becoming a great drummer in front
of you it will keep you on the road to where you want to go.
It's when you get sidetracked by looking at the obstacles in
your path is when you get discouraged, and then eventually
give up.

Work, family, and responsibilities of all kinds manage to
distract you from your drum time. Just become a good manager
of your time and schedule yourself. Don't let the tail wag
the dog! Stay in control.

There you have it, four tips to overcome frustration with
your drumming. If you apply these four tips you can take
your drumming anywhere you want to go.


Daniel N. Brown has been drumming since 1976! Get his
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